Remember our life and home
by MetalGirl19
Summary: Ratcha and the Company are back. This time they are closer to Erebor then they ever would think they would come. But are they going to reach the mountain without having to look over their backs? Or are they going to meet new enemies and friends? Who knows? It will all be sorted out here. Sorry, I'm not the greatest when it comes to the summary parts.
1. Prologue

\- Fili?! Kili?! If this is some sort of hide and seek, then I can say I don't like it. Come on! Where are you?!

I shout as I look everywhere in the house for my brothers.

They have been gone for the whole morning and I start to panic.

 _"Where can they be? It not like them to not tell me where they go. They know how I can be if they don't tell me those things."_

* * *

I am on the way to walk out to the backyard for the second time, when the front door opens and mother walks in carrying two baskets of vegetables.

I close the back door and walk over to her when she struggles with the door. I take one basket with one hand and close the door with the other.

Mother look at me and smiles as she lays down her basket and takes off her shoes.

\- Thank you Ratcha. Will you be so kind and take the baskets to the kitchen?

Nodding, I take the other basket from the floor and walk to the kitchen.

Placing the baskets on the table, I turn around faking that I take away some sweat from my forehead.

\- Wow mother. What have you in this? Iron axes?

Mother laughs as she walks over to the table and sit down on one of the chairs with her hand on her back.

With a concern look, I kneel down in front of her. Placing my hand on her knee, I look at her with thoughtful eyes.

\- Dis, you will destroy your back one day if you don't start to think about how much you can carry in your baskets.

Dis look at me with her hazelnut brown eyes and smiles again.

She and uncle are so much alike that none of them can't say that they are not related. From the black long hair to how they even walk is saying siblings. I can barely see who's who when I look at them from behind.

Even Fili and Kili is so much like their mother that it is scary. Kili have gotten her black hair and her always happy eyes, while Fili have gotten her funny laugh and her sense of humor. Fili looks more like his father according to Dis. I never got the chance to meet him before he died in the battle of Moria.

Me? I look like none of them. I don't have any of Dis features. I don't have her laugh, her sense of humor. I don't have anything that she, Fili and Kili have. I don't even have a beard like she has. And I know that I will never have one either.

My icy blue eyes tell everyone that sees them that I am not a Dwarf. I have never seen a Dwarf with the same color as mine for over 60 years. And I think I will never get to see one with it either. It's more a Mind-Changer eye color.

My height is also standing out. If an adult Dwarf stands beside me, I am taller by a head than them. And I am just 10 years old. Well actually, I am 110 years old. But still. King Thror was 248 years old when he died. A Mind-Changer ages slower than a Dwarf on the outside, but we are aging a lot faster on the inside. My father was over 2000 years old when he died, but he looked like he only was 40. So, the aging part of a Mind-Changer is very confusing.

Come to think of it. Everything that has something to do with the Mind-Changers is very confusing. At least if you ask a Dwarf. Or any other folk. Some even wants us Mind-Changers dead. For we are not something from the world of the living according to them. We are something more like Orcs. How I can be more like an Orc than an Elf I don't know.

\- You say that everyday my child. But you should know that I will not listen to you until you or your stubborn brothers will start to help me around in this house. Which will never happen now, will it?

Smirking, I shake my head as I stand up and look at the baskets.

\- Using your powers is not helping me around in the house Ratcha.

Dis says as she stands up herself.

The vegetables I had already picked up with my powers drops down into the baskets again. I turn around and look at mother with disappointed eyes.

\- If I can't use my powers to help you. Then how am I supposed to practice so I can control them mother? I don't want to have another market disaster again.

Dis look at me with her mother eyes as I have come to call them. It feels like she can look straight through you to see your emotions and also have the sympathy feeling that only a mother can have.

She lays her hand on my shoulder and look me deep into my eyes.

\- I know that what happened at the market was nothing you intended to. And I know that you want to be accepted by the other children and adults here. But do understand Ratcha, you are so much like your folk that many of my kin may never see you as one of us. But I will. Your brothers will. Thorin will see you as one of us. And you know that there is many of us that will see you as one of us. Like Bofur. If he wouldn't have seen you as one of us, would he have followed Thorin when he went out searching for you?

Smiling, I shake my head slightly as memories of the journey back from Dale comes through my mind. Bofur making jokes about everything just get me, Oin, Dwalin and Thorin to laugh. He comforts me after yet another nightmare. My laugh echoes through the forest and Bofur's smile as he succeeds on getting me to sing some of my kin's songs over the open fire.

Thorin and the others did what they could to make me laugh and not to think of my gone and broken childhood with my parents. But Bofur did more than just that. He became the person I could turn to when I needed someone to talk to, he became the shoulder I could cry on and he would listen to everything I had to say. If I had something to ask, then he would try to answer before asking Oin if he could answer instead. Even now, five years later. I still talks to Bofur whenever I need to talk to someone outside my family. Sometimes to my brother's disappointment.

\- No, you're right mother. There is many of you that don't see me as some outcast. And you're also right that Bofur wouldn't have followed uncle if he didn't saw me as one of his.

Dis smiles and wipe away a tear that have been running down my cheek. She then turns around and start to unpack one of the baskets.

* * *

I am helping her putting all the stuff into the right cabinets, when I remember that I still haven't seen my brothers.

\- Mother? Where is Fili and Kili?

\- They left early in the morning to Hobbiton with the excuse that Thorin asked them to go there.

Dis answers while she lays some bread in one cabin.

\- Hobbiton? Is it close to Bree? Why would uncle send them there? And how dare them leaving without saying goodbye to me? I have been worried sick the whole morning.

\- They didn't want to wake you up. And they didn't know how to tell you without making you worried about them too much. You who wanted to practice more on your powers could have asked them through your mind.

Sighing, I slap my hand on my forehead while shaking my head.

Cursing my own stupidity, I look at mothers back as she is unpacking the second basket.

\- Sometimes I wonder what in Durin's name I am thinking with. Did they say when they would come back?

\- They didn't know. But they did give both of us a promise that they would come back to us.

Just then, the door knocks three times. Meaning that it is Uncle Thorin at the door.

\- I'll go open for him.

I say smiling before I go to the door.

Thorin smiles when he sees me. He is dressed for a long journey.

 _"His backpack looks like it will explode soon if he wants something more in it. Why have he packed so much? Is he going to Hobbiton too?"_

\- Good morning uncle. Come on in.

I say as I open the door more, so he can come in.

Looking behind him, his pony Lejla is tied to our houses fence. She is also packed for a long journey.

I wave to her before I close the door and look at Thorin with a confusing look.

But he is already walking to his sister in the kitchen. Thankfully for him, he took off his shoes before. Dis do not like when someone beside herself walks in with dirty shoes on her freshly cleaned floor.

\- Good morning dear brother. Why in such clothes? And why send my sons to Hobbiton without acknowledging me?

 _"Mother always goes polite when she speaks to uncle. Even though they are siblings."_

\- Good morning dear sister. I knew you wouldn't let them go if I would have asked you first, and I need them for my journey.

\- Where are you going?

I ask while I walk past him and stands beside mother. It must be a very funny sight for Thorin with me being a head taller than Dis. The only one that I am not taller than is Dwalin. He is the tallest Dwarf and he is a head taller than me. But I will grow past him sooner or later.

\- That's why I came Ratcha. I was wondering if you wanted to follow me to Ered Luin.

An excited feeling starts to bloom in my heart. The last time I was on any journey or adventure was when I ran to Dale after the death of my father.

\- No! She is not leaving.

I look at Dis with surprise mixed with disappointment. Off course, she says no. She doesn't want to lose me as well. But still, I want to.

\- Mother! I know that you weren't happy when Fili and Kili left. But please let me follow uncle. Then maybe everyone around here calms down about me being one of your kin.

Dis looks at me with worried eyes. I want to use my powers to change her mind about me not leaving. But I can't do so to my own mother.

Instead, I look inside her head to see what kind of thoughts I can use to make her rethink the whole thing.

But her mind is such a mess with emotions like fear and worry, that I can't even reach her thoughts.

The exited feeling, I had are gone as I leave her mind. Now I know that I can't change her thinking and I don't want to go against her. She is my mother after all.

\- I will not let you leave this house with her Thorin. You took my sons away from me. You will not take my daughter as well.

Thorin look at Dis with loveable eyes. He wants me to come with him. But in the same time, he does not want to break Dis mother heart even more.

 _~ Ratcha? Can I speak to my sister alone?_

 _~ Oh. Ehm, of course you can uncle._

\- I think it would be better if you two get to talk about this alone. I will be in my room in the meantime.

I mumble as I walk out from the kitchen and up the stairs to my room.

* * *

I just manage to close the door before their screaming reach my ears. Well, it's more mother who screams at Thorin that he is a lot of unappropriated stuff.

Sighing, I turn away from the door and walks over to my bed.

My room is nothing special. It has a bed, a closet for my clothes and other things. It has a window with a view of the Blue Mountain. The walls have a light blue color, but you can barely see it for all the drawings I have hung up. Whenever I can I'll draw what is happening in my surroundings. There is a lot of drawings with my brothers.

In one drawing are they practicing with swords. They were just 8–10 years old so I wasn't surprised when Dis got furious with them when she saw my drawings. Now they are in their twenties, and not here. _(Sigh)_.

In another drawing are they chasing a wet Thorin with buckets of water. In that one they were around 15–17 years, and their laughs can still be heard through the drawing. Even Thorin is smiling with a bucket with water in his hands. Just as I had finished sketching it down, did I realize that they were running towards me. So, I had to run and finish the drawing after that I had been chased for a long time.

There are some drawings of Bofur as well.

How can I not draw him when he does so many funny stuffs that you just want to draw them down?

In one drawing is he playing his flute over the fire. The fire makes his face shine and I am very proud of how I succeeded with the joyful glance in his eyes.

In another drawing is he braiding my hair. Apparently is my brown hair with a mixture of ginger in it very funny to play with, like braiding. And Bofur is very gentle with his hands, and he always sings whenever he plays with my hair.

 _~ I hope that you have packed._

Hearing Thorin in my head makes me jump up from my bed in surprise. Then I rush over to my closet and now I can use my powers a little. I just think about what I can be needing for the journey and the things comes flying out from the closet and into my backpack. My drawing equipment is in there too, you never know what you might see.

Just as Thorin knocks on my door, I take my cape from its hanger and my knife from the table by the bed.

Mother is not so fond of me going around with a knife hanging around my hips. Think of it, she did not like when my brothers were practicing with their swords, letting me wear my knife wherever I went was not questionable. So, the knife has to stay in my room if I didn't really need it. Like when I had training session with uncle, Fili and Kili. With some help from either Bofur or Dwalin.

When I open the door, Thorin smiles as he sees that I am ready to go. He looks around in my room with a surprised look, but before he can say anything, I push him away from the door and close it.

\- You know that I draw a lot uncle. Don't look so surprised.

Thorin laugh while he walks down the stairs.

When we walk past the kitchen, I look inside to see mother sitting by the table, rubbing her hand over her forehead. She looks like she is on the edge of crying.

\- Mother. Don't be sad. I will return to you. I will not disappear or anything. You know that a Mind-Changer stands by her words. We do not break them.

I say as I walk over to her and kneel down.

She looks up from her hand and her mother eyes have a mixture with sadness and love. She smiles a weak smile before I stand up. She stands up to and hugs me tightly. I return the hug and bury my head in her shoulder. I take in her sentence, so I will not forget it.

When we part, she takes my hands and I feel that she lays something in them. When I look it is a black marble rock with runes that says _promise_.

\- A reminder. I gave Kili the other one.

Dis says with a weak smile.

I look at her and smiles back.

I send over some warmth and love to her before I walk to the front door where Thorin waits.

* * *

When I have made my pony Renya ready to go, the sun appears from behind the clouds and shine on us.

As we ride away towards Ered Luin, I look back to the house one more time. At the front door stands Dis, waving to us. I wave back to her with a smile.

 _"Now I am on an adventure again. But this time I am not alone. This time I have Thorin with me. What can possible go wrong?"_

\- Now I can tell you the real reason why we are going on this journey. We are on a quest to take back Erebor from Smaug. But we are going to get help from 10 Dwarves, who they are you will see when we come to Hobbiton, we will also get accompanied by Gandalf the Grey and a Hobbit who according to Gandalf is a burglar who can help us take back Erebor.

 _"Alright. Everything can go wrong on this adventure."_


	2. Chapter 1

\- How close is the pack?

\- Too close. A couple of leagues, no more. But that is not the worst of it.

Bilbo says as he tries to catch his breath.

The feeling of terror is pouring out if him. Something or someone have scared him.

Soon, the feeling of terror gets mixed with irritation.

I stand up from where I have been sitting and drawing the company. Luckily, I finished the sketching part before Bilbo came back.

I am a little happy that we have Gandalf with us. He has helped me when I needed more things for my drawings. Like when I have run out of paper, he can get me new ones. I can do a lot with my powers, but the simplest things like getting more materials to my drawings is nothing I can do.

I walk over to them just as Bilbo says that it something else out there.

\- What form did it take? Like a Bear?

Gandalf asks.

I look curious at him.

 _"Can it be him?"_

\- Ye… Y-yes. But bigger. Much bigger.

 _"No way!"_

I look at Gandalf in shock when the parts begin to fall into place.

 _"There is only one Bear that is much bigger than any other Bear and that's Beorn. But he will kill the Dwarves. He hates them!"_

\- I say we double back!

\- And be run down by a pack of Orcs!

I say to Bofur with my eyes focused on Gandalf.

I don't know if I should be impressed by him or angry that he actually wants us to find help from Beorn.

\- There is a house, it's not far from here, where we might take refuge.

I only need one glance from Gandalf to be sure that it is indeed Beorn that he is talking about.

I give him a desperate and disappointed look before I walk over to where I was sitting before and quickly lay down my things into my backpack.

\- What choice do we have?

Thorin asks just as a roar can be heard in the fading night.

I stand up and look at Gandalf with my backpack thrown onto my back. I then look at Thorin and says.

\- None.

Gandalf starts to run away from the Carrock. And we other follows him.

* * *

We run through plains and over water while the sun travels over the sky.

 _"Is this all we are going to do the whole way to Erebor? To run away from everything? If so, then I almost wish that mother would have won that fight with uncle."_

* * *

We run through a forest just as another roar can be heard. Everyone stops in their tracks as we hear it. Giving me time to _'see'_ that Azog and his riders have picked up our scent and catching up on us.

 _"Oh, no. Let's hope they don't do that before we reach the destination Gandalf have in mind."_

\- Come on! This way! Quickly!

As we start to run again, Bombur stands still staring into the forest with wide eyes.

When I run past him, I grab his beard and drag him with me. He will hate me when the adrenalin goes away and gets replaced with the pain from his beard, but he will not be dinner for whatever he saw in there.

\- Bombur, come on!

As we exit the forest, a house can be seen a little further away.

\- To the house! Run!

 _"Like we haven't done that the whole morning?!"_

Suddenly, Bombur comes running past me and I stare in shock as he keeps on running past everyone in the company. All of us having the same shocked look on our faces as he runs past.

 _"The fattest of us, sorry Bombur but you are fat! He runs faster than any of us. Wow."_

We run through the gate and through the garden. Bombur who now is at the front throws himself on the front door but falls down on his back when the door won't budge. I, who is at the back, hear something from the forest we came from and when I look back, I see this massive black Bear breaking out from the forest with a roar.

I push Bilbo who is in front of me, so he'd run faster.

\- Open the door!

\- Quickly!

Thorin screams before pushing himself forwards everyone and manage to reach the exterior bolt and the doors flies open. Everyone rush inside and just as Gandalf gets inside and we are closing the door the Bear throws his head through the gap and is now trying to push the door open from the outside.

Everyone screams and the Bear roars. I back away from the door and the noise while I try to calm down before the panic attack comes. All the noise brings back bad memories and I don't want to have them.

I keep on backing until my back hits the wall on the other side, my eyes locked on the door.

 _~ Keep out Beorn! Please. You are not going in here in your Bear form! And I will not let you hurt my family! Back off! Please._

And believe my surprise when he actually listens to me and backs away from the door, so they can close and lock it.

Everyone sighs in relief, but my panic attack has already got ahold on me and I glide down the wall with my head buried in my hands, trying to calm down enough so the panic doesn't get the better of me. Or that I will go mad.

Then I feel someone lays his hand on my shoulder. I want to lift my head up, so I can see who it is but in the same time, I don't want to show that one that I am crying. If it is Fili or Kili they would be worried sick and would ask a lot of questions that I don't have the energy to answer or I don't have the answer to them.

 _"Why did I had to get a panic attack? Why did those memories had to come back now? And why did it had to be Beorn's house that we had to find shelter for the night? Why couldn't we have chosen someone else's house to crash in? No, we had to choose that one that have already helped me before and made it clear that he didn't wanted to see me again!"_

\- Ratcha? Calm down, he's gone now.

Of course, it has to be Bofur that have placed his hand on my shoulder. He hates to see me like this. Actually, everyone in the company hates to see me crying, but Bofur knows more about me and my journey to Dale. And he knows more about why I get these panic attacks then even my brothers do. And that says something about my trust to him.

I look up slightly from my hands and look at him, still with tears running down my cheeks.

His eyes show sympathy and sadness, but his smile is as warm and joyful as always. I only need to see those eyes to find the strength to get the panic away and I smile weakly towards him, blinking slowly with my right eye, my own way to tell him that the panic is gone.

He returns the smile and takes his free hand and place it on his knees with the palm upwards. Saying that he will listen to me if I want to talk about it. Smiling slightly, I take one of my hands, who are still wet from my tears and close his hand, meaning that I will tell him but not now.

He nods slowly and stands up, he reaches out his hand for me to take so I can stand up to.

 _~ Don't worry Ratcha. No one can see that you have been crying._

 _~ Thank you Bofur._

Bofur smiles before turning around and walks over to the others, I take a deep breath before following him. May so be that no one can see that I have been crying, but I don't take any chances when it comes to my panic attacks.

\- He's leaving!

Ori says from the door.

\- Go away from there! It's not natural, none of it. It's obvious, he's under some dark spell.

Dori says while staring at Gandalf in hatred.

And that kicks my emotions into action and my memories from my time here with Beorn comes back and I stare at Dori with much more hatred then he gave Gandalf.

\- So, you're saying that I'm also under some dark spell Dori? Don't be a fool. Beorn is under no enchantment but his own.

I say, my voice is as dark and low as when I threatened Azog before the Eagles came.

Speaking of Eagles, I have to remember to ask father if he was responsible for them. After all, the Eagles are his spirt animal, he said so himself, and I have a feather from them hanging around my neck.

Anyway, back to Beorn's house, and my dark voice.

I am not that angry at Dori, but I wanted him to understand that not everything is just as he says it is. He doesn't know it, but Ori looks up to him so much that he is believing everything that Dori says, even those things that is not true.

Dori looks at me in shock and his body is screaming with the feelings of fear and terror. He and Ori backs away slowly from me and closer to the door.

But the feelings of fear and terror that I felt from Dori is not just coming from him. The feelings are too strong for only him to be the source of it. I look around only to realize that everyone, including Bofur, have taken a step back from me and is now staring at me, worrying over what might happen next.

The anger that I had goes away and I show with my hands that everything is alright, and I am not angry anymore. I look back at Dori and smiles slightly at him.

 _~ Sorry. I did not mean to fright you, I just wanted you to understand what you said is not always the truth._

Dori smiles back, if only weakly, but it's enough for me.

\- Alright now, get some sleep, all of you. You'll be safe here tonight.

Gandalf says while taking of his hat.

Bofur grabs the sleeve of my jacket and drags me to one of the boxes in the stall that is connected to the house. And while he sits down, my ears pick up Gandalf saying.

\- I hope.

 _"That's the only thing we can do when we have Beorn as our host."_

I am on the way to sit down beside Bofur, when he takes my hand and pulls me down in front of him. I immediately know what he intends to do and smiles as his hands start to go through my hair to braid it.

Oin comes over to but he sits down on my right side, showing me to take of my jacket.

I do so, and the sight that meets us is very ugly.

The bandage has taken a slightly black color and when Oin touches it, I have to bite my tongue not to scream. The wound is very sensitive and only that touch is enough for my body to go into deafens mode. Biting my tongue so I won't scream and forcing myself not to move, I watch as Oin takes of the bandage. And if the pain wasn't enough, the look of how the wound have become is horrifying.

\- When did this happen?

Bofur asks in shock.

Of course, everyone had to hear that and is now looking at us with a mixture of expressions on their faces.

\- When the Goblins attacked us for the second time after their leader saw Orcrist. One of them cut me with his claw shaped finger and gave me this wound. Ouch! Oin can you please be gentle? I have to force myself not to move for the pain is horrible.

Oin look at me and only shake his head.

This wound is nothing he have seen before. And its only getting worst no matter what he does to it.

Sighing, I look away from the wound and just let Oin do what he can to it. But I can already feel that the wound is eating me from the inside.

I close my eyes and think of my father.

 _~ Father?_

 _~ I'm here little worrier._

And when I open my eyes again, he is sitting right in front of me.

I have talked to him before, but I still get a little scared when I see him. His clothes have big holes in them, and they are colored in red, his right arm, which is his sword arm, have a nasty wound right above his elbow and he have a cut on his neck. He told me ones that the cut in the neck is what took his life. Both his and King Thror's.

 _~ When will you stop saying that? I'm not tiny anymore._

 _~ I will never stop saying that Ratcha. I told you that before I died._

 _~ I know. But I did not call for you to talk about what you said when you were alive. I guess you can see the wound I have gotten._

 _~ I can see it and I can see how it slowly kills you. Your friend here can try anything he wants to, but you will need Elven medical to heal this wound._

 _~ I was afraid that you would say that. Uncle will never let an Elf come near me. Is there none of your friends who can help me?_

 _~ No, Ratcha. We can you help you with many things, but we can't heal in this form. Thorin may have to let the Elf come near you this time Ratcha. Your body is losing the battle against it, and I do not want to see you die._

 _~ If you can't heal anyone in your ghost form. Then how does it come that my wound that I had before I got this one healed and my mind cleared after you rubbed me in my hair?_

 _~ Nothing goes by you unnoticed does it? Well, I could heal you for you are my kin. An Elf can't heal another kin. It has to be an Elf, or it won't work. Don't blame me for the rules, I have nothing to do with them._

 _~ Stupid rule, what more? What is it you can't do more in order to help us father?_

 _~ Do not talk to me in that tone Ratcha Reynheart! It is a lot of rules here that I will not say now. But when I or my friends can, we will help you. And you know that._

 _~ Sorry for snapping father, but Oin came to a very sensitive part to the wound and it just slipped out. But I know that you will help me and my family here whenever you can. And we thank you for that father._

Father doesn't answer. He smiles and start to fade away.

 _~ Wait! I forgot to ask you one thing._

He gives me a questioned look but doesn't say anything.

 _~ Are you responsible for the Eagles that came to our rescue before?_

 _~ No. I am not the one who send the Eagles to you. Gandalf asked for help from a Moth and it came back with the Eagles. If he hadn't been so quick thinking, I could have said that I was the one who send the Eagles._

Father says smiling.

I give him a confused look before remembering that Gandalf is friends with the giant creatures and can ask for help if he sees a Moth nearby.

I smile at father and close my eyes.

I can feel the faintest of touch on my forehead of his lips before opening my eyes again.

Oin has finished taken care of my wound and I take on my jacket again. I look at him with sad but thankful eyes and Oin smiles slightly.

He then stands up and walks over to his cousin Gloin on the other side of the room. Leaving me alone with Bofur again.

\- Are you just going to sit there with your hands in my hair? Or are you actually going to braid it Bofur?

I say in a teasing voice.

I can't see his reaction, but I can feel that he jerks back from whatever he was thinking of, for he drags me in my hair when he comes back. Laughing quietly, he starts to braid my hair again.

* * *

Later that evening. Bofur has been replaced with Fili and Kili, and I am resting my back to Kili's shoulder. My hair has been transformed into one of Bofur's proudest works. I have never seen him so happy over something he has done before. He had shown me my new look with his axe, and I have to say, it is really beautiful.

In my lap is my drawing equipment and I am drawing Thorin and Balin who are sitting on the other side of the room and talking in a low voice.

\- What are you doing Ratcha?

Comes from Bilbo, who is resting his back to the pole on the left to me.

I lay the finished touches on sketching of Orcrist that is resting beside Thorin with the moon shining on it. Thorin have taking it out from its sheet so we can be warned if Azog and his riders would be close by.

I tuck my pen behind my right ear and turn the paper, so Bilbo can see it. His eyes widened in shock and surprise.

\- Wow. You're really good at that.

\- Thank you, Bilbo.

I say smiling as I turn the paper back to me and start to sketch again.

\- If you want to see more of my drawings, then you can look in my backpack for them Bilbo.

I say with my eyes still focused on how Balin is sitting. How he can sit like that is both interesting to think about and weird to see.

Bilbo reach over to my backpack and takes out some of my drawings. From the corner of my eye, I can see his face get an impressive expression and I smile to myself.

Just as I lay the finished touches on my drawing of Thorin and Balin, Ori throws a small rock towards me. Smiling, I catch the rock in my hand and look at him with a questioned look.

\- Can the rest of us also get to see your drawings?

The smile goes bigger as I nod towards him and reach over to my backpack to take out the rest of the drawings.

There are some that I feel are not finished or are just not good enough to show. Like one drawing I did on Radagast were I tried to draw him out of memory but just felt didn't ended like I wanted it.

Those drawings that looks good enough to show I take out and give some to Kili and tell him that he can give them to Bifur after, I walk over to Ori and give him the rest. I then walk back to Fili and Kili, resting my back on Fili's shoulder this time.

Kili is looking on a drawing that is on him and Fili. They are fighting Goblins in Goblin-Town with their backs pressed to one another. Kili looks at me and gives me a thumbs up for a fantastic work.

\- These drawings are extraordinary Ratcha. Why haven't we gotten the chance to see them before?

Nori asks.

He turns the paper he is holding showing of Thorin with the fire of a torch behind him and Orcrist shimmering as he's slaying Goblins in the tunnels of Goblin-Town again. The fire makes his silhouette part dark and gives him a dangerous look.

Thorin gives me an impressive look after seeing the drawing and I smile shyly back at him. Turning my attention back to Nori, I say.

\- I wasn't sure if I should show you them or if I should keep them to myself. You don't always show us what you have with you, right Nori?

I ask smirking.

Nori laugh shaking his head and gives the drawing to Bombur.

A laugh can be heard from Bofur. He turns the paper he is holding to show himself. He is playing on his flute while riding his pony Belja. I may have given her an exhausted expression. And I may have also given her a speech ball with the words: One more tune of that thing and he is going off my back.

\- Do I play that bad?

Bofur asks, still with the laugh in his voice.

\- No, I just thought that it would be funny if she had that look. She loved when you played on your flute Bofur. Can't I have some fun when I draw something now?

Bofur only laugh again and while he shakes his head, he gives the drawing to Dori.

\- Can you see what have happened to our ponies Ratcha? I miss Daisy.

Ori says.

My smile fades a little before I say.

\- I wish I could say that I can Ori. But I can't. I can't see what have happened to them, but I can feel that they are still alive but that's it. I can't see or feel anything more than that. I'm sorry.

Ori nods his head, but he can't hide his sad expression.

\- This one I think will take the price on being extraordinary.

Thorin says in wonder as he shows us the drawing.

It is the drawing I was sketching on before we had to run away from Beorn. It's on all of us when we are on the Eagles. Because I was at the back, I got a perfect view of everyone. But I changed Thorin's position from being unconscious in the claws of the Eagle, to where he is sitting on it and is sitting very majestic.

I smile at him and bow my head slightly.

Because of that I don't have anything to color the drawings, they aren't as perfect as I want them to be. But hopefully, when we take back Erebor, I can color them. If there is anything that I can color them with.

\- If you think that one is the most extraordinary drawing she have done. Then look at this one.

Bilbo say and show his.

It's from when our journey started. That night Bilbo got the taste of my brothers' meanness.

Bilbo is sitting with his feet dangling over the cliff. His eyes are staring right at the person who are looking at the drawing. He is staring at a thrush that is flying around the cliff.

I drew that one through the thrush's eyes. I asked the bird if I could look through its eyes for some time, so I could draw that one.

I am very proud of that one. Everything from how the moon shines at Bilbo to how the fire dancing over Fili, Kili and I, gives the drawing a mystery over it and I am very happy that I managed to capture that.

Everyone agrees that that drawing is one of the best from every other drawing they have been looking at.

Their joy and excitement over the drawings fills my heart with happiness and warmth, and I smile a big smile as I make myself more comfortable with my back on Fili's shoulder. He raises his arm, so I can rest on his chest instead and I give him a mental hug.

* * *

Eventually, I get my drawings back and I lay them in my backpack. One by one they all start to say goodnight and falls to sleep. I can't find sleep just yet, it is something that is buggering me, but I can't put my finger on what it can be. I am still laying under Fili's arm, so I can't take out my drawings and draw something. Instead, I decide to look in my mind to see if there is anyone more awake. I can see that Bilbo is awake and when I open my eyes again, I can see that he is holding something in his hands. I move slightly under Fili's arm so I can have a better view of what Bilbo is holding.

 _"A ring? When and where did you get that ring Bilbo?"_

Just then, the doors opens up and in comes Beorn in his human form. Bilbo is much faster than me to lay down his hands and pretending to be asleep.

Beorn look at me and I can feel that he recognizes me and don't know if he should be surprised or happy to see me.

 _"Happy? He said himself that he did not wanted to see me again the last time I was here for he did not want me in his mind and take control over him. Just as everyone else think that we Mind-Changers do for a living. Go inside everyone's minds and take control over them. All of us didn't do that, some of us was kind enough and stayed outside of everyone's head."_

I bow my head slightly towards him, hoping that he won't be angry and turn into his Bear form and kill all of us. But Beorn returns the bow and I have to bite my tongue, so I won't sigh out loud.

Beorn then walks away to the other side of the house and I bury my head in Fili's arm. Hoping that my racing heart will calm down before waking everyone up.

 _~ Welcome to my house again Ratcha Reynheart._

 _~ Thank you Beorn._


	3. Chapter 2

I wake up the next morning with a very large bee on my nose. Instead of waving it away, I smile as I remember of how I was woken up just like this the three days Beorn let me stay here so the thunderstorm could go by. Beorn would always tell his bee friends to wake me up.

When the bee sees that I am awake, it flies over to Bilbo to wake him up too. Bilbo does in fact jerk back. But what would you expect someone would do if they woke up with a giant bee on their nose?

Smiling at his reaction, I stand up and walk over to him. Apparently, everyone let me, and Bilbo get some extra sleep instead of waking us up. How Fili could get up without waking me is a question I have to ask him later.

Everyone is standing in the kitchen area and looking out, well, they are trying to look out the window. Because of that Beorn is so tall, the rest of us can't even reach the end of the chairs and tables. Gandalf is the only one who can look outside the window, but that's barley so he can do that.

When me and Bilbo walks over to them, we can hear small talks like;

\- What can you see Bofur?

Bofur is sitting on the windowsill so he can see out to the backyard.

 _"And I was always raised with the words; Do not sit on the windowsill Ratcha!"_

\- Why do we not walk out and say hello?

\- No, we can't do that!

I whisper loudly towards them.

Everyone goes quiet and look at me with a curious look.

\- Why not?

Ask Gloin.

\- Because he… _(sigh!)_ He hates Dwarfs. Why I do not know. I just know the part that he hates Dwarfs.

\- Why does it come that you know that?

Dwalin asks while he crosses his arms over his chest.

\- Always the suspicious one of everything as always Dwalin. Well, I find out when I ran to Dale. Remember the thunderstorm that was two weeks after the battle of Moria?

I ask and give everyone a questioned look. They all nod and I sigh as memories comes back.

\- Well, Beorn fond me the same day as the storm started and took me here where he let me stay until the thunderstorm had passed. He taught me a lot during that time, like knowing the difference between what I can and can't eat. And he also helped improve my fighting skills a little. Because of that he is a Bear, he doesn't use weapons that much, but he knew the basics, so he could teach me some things. But when I left, he made it very clear that he did not wanted to see me again. For I am a Mind-Changer, and a Mind-Changer is not someone you can trust. And he does not like visitors.

I say as I look at Gandalf.

He smiles a little, but the smile has no warmth in it and his eyes have a worried glance.

His mind is also conflicted over the fact that it maybe was the wrong thing to take us here.

 _~ Calm down Gandalf. I did not mean to make you worried over your choices, but don't let Beorn meet all of us in the same time. It will be hard enough for him to meet one Dwarf, imagine meeting thirteen at the same time, plus a Hobbit, a Wizard and a Mind-Changer._

The worried glance in his eyes disappears a little but not completely.

Nodding quickly, he then tells us that we should come out in pairs of two, except Bombur, who can be counted as two and should come out alone.

 _"That was not kind Gandalf."_

Me and Thorin is the last ones to come out. Gandalf and Bilbo are the first ones.

\- Just wait for the signal.

Gandalf says before he and Bilbo walk out to Beorn.

I jump up to the windowsill where Bofur sits so I can see what is happening out there.

Bofur smiles at me before turning his attention back to Beorn. But he then looks back at me with a confused look.

\- What's the signal?

Sighing, I shake my head and look at him.

\- I knew that it was something Gandalf forgot to tell us.

I say before looking at the scene that is happening outside.

Out there stands Beorn and are chopping wood. Gandalf is smart enough to stop a couple of meters away from him before he starts to talk.

* * *

As they talk, Bofur send out everyone when he thinks that Gandalf gives the signal. I can feel the panic growing from Gandalf and Bilbo for every new pair of Dwarves that comes out from Beorn's house. But there is also the feelings of confusion mixed with amusement, those feelings are coming from Beorn.

 _"Why is he amused over this?"_

 _"Well, he did see us when he came home yesterday. So, he should have known that we were here anyway."_

 _"But it is a little funny that he finds the situation amusing."_

\- I don't need your service!

Beorn screams at Dori when he and his younger brother Ori comes out.

 _"Dori was at least polite to you Beorn. Have any of the other Dwarfs introduced themselves to you? Hm, no they have not."_

* * *

After a while it's only me and Thorin left inside the house. Thorin gives me a questioned look but I shake my head.

\- Not yet.

Thorin sighs quietly, he hates to wait. I do to, but I have more patient than him.

\- Do you have anyone more to introduce Gandalf?!

Beorn shouts sharply towards the Wizard.

Thorin gives me the questioned look again, and this time I nod my head and we both walk out the big door.

Beorn looks at us with a mixture of surprise and recognition. He knew that I was here, but he didn't know when I would come out. I smile at him as Thorin and I bow our heads slightly towards him. Beorn smiles back before saying.

\- Since when did Ratcha the Mind-Changer surround herself with Dwarves?

\- Since when did Beorn the Skin-Changer questioned my choice of living?

I say back in a teasing voice.

Beorn's smile goes wider and he lays his axe on the chopping trunk. He then walks over to us.

\- Since you already have gotten yourself some sleep in my house. Then why don't you come inside again, and I will give you some food?

He asks as he walks past us, pushing me slightly in a joyful way as he walks inside.

The feeling of relief that comes from the group and Gandalf is so strong that I am surprised that Beorn, being half a Bear, can't feel it too. Or he does feel it but doesn't show any signs of it.

Everyone looks at Gandalf with confused looks. Gandalf look back at us with the same look and I smirk while shaking my head.

\- Come on. Don't let our host wait for us too long now when he is in the good mood. Trust me, you don't want to see the bad mood.

I say with the smirk still on my face as I tug on Thorin's shirt, so he has to follow me inside if he doesn't want to fall. Thorin smiles and lets me drag him inside again.

* * *

Eventually, everyone is inside again and seated at Beorn's very big table.

I did say that Beorn is tall right? And that he is really into carving stuff in the house? Come to think of it, there is actually more carvings in the house than last time I was here.

Also, did I mention that Beorn is almost too tall for his own house?

No? Alright, now you know.

\- So, you are the one they call Oakenshield. Tell me, why is Azog the Defiler hunting you?

Beorn asks while pouring some milk into Fili's mug. The mug is so big that it looks really funny when Fili takes a sip from it.

I mean, Beorn must think the whole scene is really funny to look at, for everyone except Gandalf is too small to everything on the table. And Bilbo, who is smaller than the Dwarves, have to sit on some of our jackets otherwise he would not see over the table.

Beorn's voice is just as dark and mysterious as I remember it and it still gives me the chills hearing it.

Thorin looks at Beorn in surprise and shock.

\- You know of Azog? How?

\- My people were the first to live in the mountains, before the Orcs came down from the north. The Defiler killed most of my family, but some he enslaved.

The manacles on his wrist rattles as he walks around the table to stand at the end of it, close to his Bear chair as I called it when I was here the last time.

The chair has two Bear heads on each side that looks at the one who sits at the chair with respect, but it looks like that they are angry even if Beorn insist that they are not. Stories that he told when he sat in that chair comes back and a sad smile appears on my face as I continue to listen to Beorn.

\- Not for work, you understand, but for sport. Caging Skin-Changers and torturing them seemed to amuse him.

\- There are others like you?

Bilbo asks.

\- Once, there were many.

\- And now?

\- Now, there is only one.

Beorn says as he sits down on his chair.

A sadness lays over us in the silence that comes.

Bilbo looks at me with a sympathetic look. I give him a shy smile back.

Before, Bilbo only knew about me being the last of my kin, but now he gets told that Azog may have given more folk the title of being the last of their kin.

I look back at Beorn only to see that he is looking at me with curious eyes. I tilt my head slightly to the left and smile at him. His mind is filled with questions to me about my life, but he doesn't know where to start.

Instead of asking me anything, he turns his attention to Gandalf.

\- You need to reach the mountain before the last day of autumn?

\- Before Durin's Day falls, yes.

\- You are running out of time.

 _"Like we didn't know that already Beorn."_

\- Which is why we must go through Mirkwood.

I stare at Gandalf in shock.

 _"Is he out of his freaking mind now?"_

\- A darkness lies upon that forest. Fell things creep beneath those trees. There is an alliance between the Orcs of Moria and the Necromancer in Dol Guldur. I would not venture there except in great need.

\- We will take the Elven Road. That path is still safe.

The anger that reach me from Thorin is so strong that if I hadn't been sitting by the table surrounded by the others, I would have backed away from uncle. I'm actually scared of him when he becomes this mad.

 _"Gandalf is in fact out of his mind. The Elven Road? Thorin would rather die than to do something that has anything to do with the Elves. Especially after Rivendell."_

\- Safe? Gandalf, the Wood Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin. They're less wise but far more dangerous.

I say in anger as I look at Gandalf.

Well, I'm sorry. But I know what the Wood Elves did when Smaug attacked Erebor. They stood on a cliff and did nothing.

They almost killed me when I accidentally hurt one of their hunters. How could I have known that it was an Elf and not a dear or something else when they are dressed like that? And I was hungry, so I guess I didn't think a lot before I threw my knife at him.

\- But it matters not.

Beorn says in a calm but warning tone.

He knows how my body looked like after my meeting with those Elves. Let's just say that it didn't looked great.

 _"If he hadn't been walking around that part of the forest in search for food, I… I shouldn't be thinking of that now."_

\- What do you mean?

Thorin asks Beorn.

\- These lands are crawling with Orcs. Their numbers are growing, and you are on foot. You will never reach the forest alive.

 _"Thanks for the positive information, Beorn."_

Thorin look at Beorn in shock. Beorn stands up from his chair and walks over to Thorin.

\- I don't like Dwarves. They're greedy and blind, blind to the lives of those they deem lesser than their own.

Dwalin push a mouse away from his hand and Beorn picks it up. Still talking to Thorin, he holds the mouse in front of his face.

 _"Is he going to eat the mouse?"_

\- But Orcs I hate more. What do you need?

I hide my smile of relief and also because of Thorin's shocked face. He didn't see that one coming.

To be honest, none of us did really. Not even me or Gandalf. Beorn really got us there.

\- We need food, and something to travel quickly on.

Gandalf says after a few seconds.

Beorn and Gandalf walks away to talk about something private. In the meantime, the rest of us goes out to Beorn's ponies and under instruction from Beorn, before he left with Gandalf, we make the ponies ready for the journey.

* * *

I have just finished with putting the saddle on Gandalf's horse, because I can make myself tall enough to do so, even though my body do not like it after some minuets and I have to shrink down to my normal size again before I can continue, when Thorin comes up to me with his pony in one hand and my backpack that I had forgotten inside the house in the other.

\- My backpack! Thank you, uncle.

I say as I take the backpack from him.

Thorin smiles but says nothing. Which makes me worried.

\- What's the matter?

\- I'm worried about the journey ahead Ratcha. You and the others have seen a lot of things. And I guess that some gives back memories for you?

\- They are. But don't think of that uncle. We are soon at Erebor. You'll see. But there is one thing that I am worried will happened when we take back Erebor from the Dragon.

\- What's that?

\- Remember when your grandfather wanted me and my family dead? He didn't want us near him or you for he thought that we would take over your minds and make you do horrible things. And I am scared that you will get the same sickness that he had and that you will finish what he wanted that day when me and my father asked to come with you. He wanted to wipe out the race of Mind-Changers.

I say as tears start to fall down my cheeks.

Thorin ties his pony to the fence that Gandalf's horse is tied to and lays one hand on my shoulder and wipe away my tears with the other. He then looks me deep into my eyes.

 _"He is so much like Dis that it's scary. By Durin, I miss her."_

\- Ratcha. I swear to you that I will never be like my grandfather. I will not get the sickness he had for I have you there with me to help me not to get it, nor will I try to kill you. When we take back Erebor, our home will be yours as well. I will not cast you out from it. That I give you my word on.

He wipes away another tear from my cheek and smile at me. I smile back at him and look down my shoes.

\- Thank you, uncle. But can you really keep that promise? Can you really swear that you will not get the sickness your grandfather had?

\- If I have you by my side, I can do anything Ratcha. You give me the strength to carry on.

Laughing, I place my hand on Thorin's that lays on my right shoulder and just hold it for a second and when I realize it, I smile again.

Just then, Gandalf and Beorn returns. I turn my head towards them while I let go of Thorin's hand. Thorin take a step back from me before he unties his pony from the fence and walks away to Dwalin.

\- Up on your ponies, we leave while there is still daylight! Thank you Ratcha for the help with my horse.

Gandalf says as he walks up to me.

I nod towards him and walk over to my pony that I have tied to a tree nearby.

* * *

When I have gotten up on my pony, Beorn comes over to me.

\- It was good to see you again Ratcha.

\- Didn't you say that you never wanted to see me again the last time I was here?

I ask smirking.

Beorn laugh a little before saying.

\- I guess that I have changed my mind since then. You are just as fierce as you were then. Farewell Ratcha, may you be as free as the Mind-Changer you were born too be.

\- Farewell Beorn. May you be as strong as the roar of the Bear you are.

* * *

As we leave Beorn's house, the feeling of that something bad will happened to us start to grow in my chest. Someone is going to get hurt. But when I look, I can't see who will get hurt or when it will happen. The scenes are to blurry for me to pinpoint who and when it will happen.

The wound from the Goblins is not helping either. It has started to itch and be very annoying. And that does it even harder to focus on what my mind is trying to warn me about.

 _"What a great start on this journey now then. I just hope I am wrong and that no one will get hurt."_

 _"But when have I ever been wrong over the future?"_

 _"Let's just hope that this is the first time Ratcha. Let's just hope."_

\- Mala! This wound is itchy.


	4. Chapter 3

I wanted to write Bifur's lines in Khuzdul. But I couldn't find any site where all the letters were written in Khuzdul so I gave up and wrote it in English.

* * *

\- Here lies our path through Mirkwood!

Gandalf says as we reach our destination.

The ones extraordinary forest is now a dark and scary place that is screaming with dark powers. Something has taken hold of it and sucked out the light and replaced it with this darkness. I don't want to go closer than I have but I know that there is no other way we can take if we want to reach Erebor and the hidden door in time.

\- No sign of the Orcs. We have luck on our side.

Dwalin says as he rides up beside me.

I give him an angry glance before I say.

\- Don't jinx it Dwalin. You know that anything can happen when it comes to us.

Dwalin looks at me with disappointed eyes but doesn't say anything.

He knows that I'm right. I am always right about those things. Even when I don't want to be that.

\- This forest feels… sick.

Bilbo says as he jumps of his pony, continuing.

\- As if a disease lies upon it. Is there no way around?

When he says that the forest is sick, immediately my mind starts to think of how the forest looked like before and what might have happened to it. What kind of sick thing that could turn this once great forest into this dark and corrupted thing.

" _What have happened here? What is it for a disease that have got its grip on you?"_

I walk over to Gandalf where he stands at the Elven Gate. He stands and are looking at a statue of an… Elf? His mind is listening to someone that I can't hear who it is. But this someone tells him to go somewhere.

\- The High Fells. So be it.

He turns around and almost bumps into me. But I manage to take a step to the left before he does, and I give him a questioned look.

\- The High Fells? Why are you going there Gandalf? The only thing you can find there is the tombs of the Nine. We need you here more than you need to be at some tombs.

Gandalf shakes his head and looks at me with sad eyes.

\- Galadriel told me to go there Ratcha.

\- Lady Galadriel? Was she here?

\- No, no. I heard her.

 _"I know that."_

\- Gandalf, you can't leave us now. Not when we will need you the most. You find better in this forest than what even I do.

I say desperate while I shake my head.

But I know that he is not going to change his mind about it. Not when Lady Galadriel have told him to go there.

 _\- (Sigh)_ Go then. Before Nori have released your horse.

I say as I point over my shoulder.

Gandalf looks, and his eyes widens. He rushes past me while screaming.

\- Not my horse! I need it!

I turn around and walk to the entrance of the forest where I stand with crossed arms.

Kili gives me a questioned look and points at Gandalf.

 _~ Where's he going?_

 _~ I haven't understood it myself._

Kili shrug his shoulders, then he looks at Gandalf who is standing and talking with a very disappointed Bilbo.

\- I would not do this unless I had to.

Gandalf says to Bilbo.

Bilbo look at him and his mind is not happy over that he is going to see Gandalf leave us again. None of us is really.

Bifur comes over to me and points at Gandalf.

\- Is he really leaving us?

I nod my head with a disappointed side smile.

Bifur looks at me with angry eyes, like it is my fault that Gandalf is leaving us again.

\- Don't blame me for this. I have nothing to do with it. I tried to stop him.

I say with my hands raised in an innocent way.

Bifur shakes his head and walks away. Muttering something in Khuzdul.

\- This is not the Greenwood of old. The very air of the forest is heavy with illusion. It will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray.

Gandalf says as he jumps up on his horse.

At the same time, it starts to rain even though the sun is shining clear and there is no cloud what's so ever on the sky.

" _Yay, just what we wanted. A very positive pep talk before we walk into a corrupted forest, and of course it has to start to rain."_

\- You must stay on the path, do not leave it. If you do, you will never find it again. No matter what will come, stay on the path!

Gandalf shouts over his shoulder as he rides away.

Sighing and shaking my head to his back that disappears behind a hill, I look at Thorin who stands beside me. He looks back at me and his mind is arguing over if he should be angry at Gandalf for leaving us or if he should be relieved for not having him with us.

Giving him an angry look, I mentally slap him on his shoulder. He gives me a surprised look back while he rubs the shoulder.

 _~ Do not be happy that we don't have Gandalf with us any more uncle. That forest is so corrupted that I wouldn't have wanted to walk in there if I could choose another way._

 _~ Haven't you been there before?_

 _~ Thorin! Mirkwood was not like this then. It was still called Greenwood and not this corrupted. If we lose the path, then I can't find it with my powers. It is something in there that is searching for magical things and if I use my powers, we will not be safe. So, you have to clear your head from your poisoned thoughts and act like the King you were born to be. Start with leading us safely through the forest!_

Yea, yea. I know what you are thinking. But I can't help it. The sickness of this forest is already taking its hold on me, and we haven't even entered the forest. Wait, I have. Well, just some meters. When I talked to Gandalf. And I did use my powers, otherwise I wouldn't have heard Lady Galadriel and also seen that his mind was so broken.

" _Oh, Mala. What have I done?"_

Thorin gives me an angry glance before turning around and walks towards the forest.

\- Come on. We must reach the mountain before Durin's Day.

\- Durin's Day. Come on.

Dwalin says as he pushes me towards the forest.

Sighing, I walk up to Kili and take his hand. He looks at me with questioned eyes, but I shake my head. I will not say anything to him about this. Not now, it will only make him worried.

\- Sorry Kili. Let's just say that I'm not looking forward to walking in this forest.

Kili nods his head and squeeze my hand. I squeeze his back and then I close myself from everyone.

" _If this forest is as mean as Gandalf said. Then it would be better for everyone if I close myself and hope that I'll not use my powers in here."_

* * *

After … I don't know for how long we have walked in here. We can have been here for many hours or just some minutes. If we try to see the sun, we can't see it. These trees have grown so thick, so the sun can barely shine through. The air is also thick, so it feels like that someone is forcing you to drink sand.

Everyone is grumpy, and they mumble things like;

\- Where did the path go? Oh, here it is.

\- Air, I need air.

\- If you can speak Oin, you already have air then.

I say, earning some laughter's and some applauds.

Oin look at me with angry eyes but doesn't say anything.

My head feels dizzy and I have trouble with the walking. It feels like I will fall asleep while I walk.

I look behind to see how it is for Ori. But when I look. I only see myself.

" _What the? What is going on?!"_

Suddenly, we stop. I can't see why from where I am, but I can hear Dwalin using his hammer on the ground.

\- This way.

" _We're losing the path. We will lose the path."_

" _Ratcha! Don't use your powers!"_

" _I didn't! Or did I? I don't know anymore!"_

* * *

After some time, we come to a river where the bridge has been destroyed.

\- We can go here.

Kili says, he and Fili is standing with one hand on some vines that seems thick enough to take us over the river.

\- Kili. Let the lightest one goes first.

Thorin says and gives Bilbo a meaningful glance.

Everyone looks at Bilbo and he gets a disappointed look. He then walks over to Fili and Kili and start to use the vines as a bridge.

\- Don't fall into the water Bilbo. That water is as sick as everything else in this forest.

I mumble as I look around at this colorful, yet disturbing forest.

Everything is in the colors of purple, blue, red and green. The path that we are following is in a shady color of blue and grey.

" _I really want to get out of this forest now."_

While Bilbo climbs over to the other side of the river. The feeling of being watched hits me with such force that I almost stumbles into Dori who are standing right behind me.

" _How can I feel that? I have closed myself, so I won't get any attention in here. Or have the atmosphere in here made me so unfocused that I don't know what I'm doing?"_

Before I can _'look'_ to see what or who is watching us, Bilbo reach the other side. He sits down and tap his finger on his forehead while he shakes his head. Like he is trying to wake himself up.

Meanwhile, Thorin tells the rest of us to start climb.

\- Stay where you are! Don't go over the river!

Comes from Bilbo just as I reach the middle of the river. In front of me I can see that Bombur is having a hard time staying awake.

\- Stay with us Bombur. Don't fall asleep, please.

I say as I reach forwards to tap him on the shoulder. But just as my fingers reach him, Bombur falls to the side and into the water.

 _\- Bombur!_

Bofur and I screams in panic as Bombur floats by underneath us.

I look behind just in time to see that Bofur lets go of his vine but is stopped by Ori who grabs his jacket to prevent Bofur to jump into the water to.

\- Don't Bofur! Don't jump into the water! That won't save Bombur. Climb over to the other side and we will get him there!

Bofur stops in his attempt to get rid of his jacket and, luckily for me, grabs the vine again. He looks at me, and I can see the desperation in his eyes, but he nods his head and Ori lets go of his jacket.

The feeling of terror that I had calms down a little and I start to climb again myself.

* * *

As I reach the other side, with some help from Thorin, I do the same thing that Bilbo did. I sit down and start to shake and tap my head in an attempt to clear it from the poisoned steam that I breathed in from the water.

Suddenly, the sound of a bow that gets stretched reach my ears and I look up just in time to see Thorin shooting an arrow to the other side where we came from. I look over to see a white deer fleeing into the forest.

\- You shouldn't have done that. It's bad luck.

Bilbo says while shaking his head, still with his eyes on the place where the deer just stood.

\- I don't believe in luck.

Thorin says as he lowers the bow.

He then walks over to Bofur and Bifur, who are trying to grab Bombur without falling into the water themselves.

Shaking my head once more, I also walk over to them and help with pulling Bombur out of the water. How we managed with that I actually don't remember.

But when we have gotten him out of the water, one thing was sure. No matter what we'd to wake him up, nothing works. I think Bofur even jumped on him. But that only made Bombur snore even louder.

\- Can't you wake him up with your powers, Ratcha?

Balin asks.

I look at him from where I'm sitting on the other side of Bombur and shake my head.

\- I can do that, but...

\- Why won't you do it then?!

Bofur screams.

I know that he didn't meant to scream. But the fear over that Bombur might never wake up and the poisoned air that is surrounding us is making him, and all of us, tired and if you would mix those three things together, the fear, the poisoned air and the tiredness, you will have someone that can't control their emotions, like Bofur right now.

He has never screamed at me before so hearing and seeing it, breaks something inside me and I give him a hurt glance.

\- If you just let me finish Bofur. Then I can tell you that I don't think it would be a wise idea for me to use my powers inside this forest. I don't know what will happen to any of us if I would use my powers. I don't want to hurt any of you, including Bombur.

I say as calm as I can while I look up from Bombur and at Bofur with tearful eyes.

Bofur looks confused at me for a second before I see in his eyes that he realize that he just screamed at me. He walks over and kneels down beside me and lays his left hand on my shoulder.

\- Sorry for screaming Ratcha. I'm just worried for my brother.

\- I understand that Bofur, if it would have been Fili or Kili I would have reacted the same as you. I'm also worried over Bombur, but he will be alright, you'll see. Now we have to fix something, so we can carry him.

Bofur makes an annoyed look and glance over at Bombur.

\- How will we be able to carry him?

\- We'll figure that one out too.

I say with a smile as I stand up.

I give Thorin a quick nod and he immediately puts us into work.

Soon enough, we have made a stretcher out of the materials around us.

I don't remember how we managed to get it under Bombur or how Dwalin, Bofur, Dori and Gloin managed to lift it up with Bombur on it. I knew that they were strong but apparently not how strong. But they lifted him up and we could continue our journey through the forest.

* * *

I'm walking beside Nori at the front of the Company when we suddenly stop.

" _Where is the path?"_

\- What's happening?

\- Keep moving. Nori, Ratcha, why have we stopped?

\- The path… it's disappeared!

Nori says as he points in front of us.

Where the path should have been is a deep cliff instead.

" _We missed it."_

" _We can't have missed it!"_

\- Find it. All of you look. Look for the path!

Thorin screams.

But I already know that we won't find the path again. Once we lost it, we won't find it again. Gandalf said that himself.

* * *

\- I don't remember this place before. None of its familiar.

Balin says as he shakes his head.

I am walking behind him as we walk up a small hill. Balin stumbles, but I catch him before he falls on his stomach and helps him up again.

He looks at me and I can see that this forest is affecting him mentally. It does that on all of us, but it is really terrifying to see how it breaks everyone down, if only slowly.

\- Is there no end on this accursed forest?!

Thorin yells.

I can hear the pain in his voice, and I get a sad feeling in my heart. I really want to use my powers to get us out of here, but I'm worried that if I do, I will only gain us unwanted attention. And that I don't want to gain right now.

* * *

After a long time, Thorin decides that we're having a break. I almost falls down on my butt for I am so exhausted that I can barely stand up. I am breathing heavily and have to force myself not to close my eyes in fear that I won't be able to open them again. In front of me Ori picks something up from the ground and says.

\- Look!

I force my tired body to stand up, and walk over to Ori just as his brother Dori takes thing from him.

" _A tobacco pouch? That's Bofur's tobacco pouch!"_

\- A tobacco pouch. There are Dwarves in this forest.

" _Can it be us Dori?"_

\- Dwarves from the Blue Mountains, no less. This is exactly as mine.

\- Because it is yours. You understand we are walking around in circles, we are lost.

Bilbo says annoyed to Bofur.

\- We're not lost, we keep heading east.

\- And how can you be so sure about that, uncle? We can't see the sun, so, which way is east?

I say to Thorin as I point upwards to the sky we can't see.

Everyone is tired and when I have said that we can't see the sun anymore, so we don't know if we really are walking east, they all start to argue over if we really are lost or if we are heading east.

Just then, the weakest of sounds makes its way through the noise to my ears and when I focus on the sound, the louder it becomes till I can hear it loud and clear.

\- Attercop.

\- What was that?

I whisper.

I look at Thorin and he have the same confused look. The sound fades away, and I get a tingle up mine spine when the feeling of being watch passes through my mind again.

\- Enough! Quiet! All of you!

Thorin shout at the arguing group of Dwarves.

\- We're being watched.

Everyone looks around themselves and walk even closer to each other.

Something is buggering me. Someone is missing.

" _Where's Bilbo?"_

I look around us and realize that Bilbo is in fact nowhere to be seen.

I walk over to Thorin and look at him with confused and worried eyes.

\- What's the matter?

\- Where's Bilbo? I can't see him anywhere.

Thorin look around as well, his face gets a terrified look when he realizes that I'm right, Bilbo is not here. Then, his eyes catch something some further away.

He starts to run to whatever he saw, screaming at us to follow him. With some doubtful looks, we do, but I look behind me one last time trying to see Bilbo.

Just then, my body screams _'attack!'_ and I stumbles down to my knees.

" _Look up! Look up!"_

Just as I do, I only manage to see a tangle of hairy legs and bodies comes falling towards us.

Before I can warn the others, a sharp pain goes through my body from my right arm, just above the Goblin wound, and the world goes black.


	5. Chapter 4

" _Ouch. Why does my body hurt so much?"_

Mumbling to myself, I open my eyes, only to see nothing more than the color white.

Confused, I lift my hand to rub my eyes to get the white color away. But I can't move my hand.

 _"Why can't I move my hand? Why can't I see where I am?! Why do I only see the color white?! And where are the others?!"_

The sound of someone that is walking towards me stops my panicking mind to lose control and I lay still with the adrenaline rushing through my veins. The sound of blood that is rushing through my system makes it harder to use my ears to _'see'_ who it is that is walking towards me.

I close my eyes and hope that I still can use my ears to _'see'_ what's is going on around me.

The sound that I can hear through the buzzing sound that comes from my rushing blood paints a drawing inside my head.

It doesn't give me the whole picture, but it gives me some aspect of how the surroundings might looks like. It is very useful when I want to make myself invisible before I walk into a room where I'm not allowed to go into.

Apparently, we have been taken by Spiders. And they have packed us into these cocoons and hung us in the trees.

The sound I heard before came from a Spider that is now walking pass me and over to one of the cocoons that is on the left of me.

 _"Please don't let that be one of my friends. Don't let me see them get eaten alive."_

Suddenly, the sound of a branch gets thrown somewhere can be heard, and all the Spiders that is walking around us rushes towards the sound.

But one Spider stays behind.

I can't hear what this Spider is doing, but I can hear and see that a body falls down in front of me.

 _"Oh no, don't eat whoever it is in there."_

But before the Spider can do anything, the sound of something hitting flesh reach me and as the Spider turns around, looking everywhere as it tries to see what it was that hit it.

I open my eyes for I do not want to see what's going on in front of me anymore. I can still hear it, but I can't see it.

\- Here.

 _"Bilbo!"_

More sound of flesh being hit, now I understand that it is Bilbo's sword how is hitting the Spider, and then it goes quiet for some moments before a quiet thud can be heard somewhere under us.

\- Sting. That's a good name.

 _"And now his sword also has a name. Yay! Now it is only mine who doesn't. Everyone else have named their weapons, I just think it's weird to name a weapon."_

Bilbo walks around us, and I can hear how he cuts through the web and send us down the trees. And the ground is not that comfortable to land on.

\- Ouff!

With some help from Gloin, I can finally get out of the bloody cocoon. But, no matter how hard I try, I can't get of all the Spiderweb of me, so now I can really say that I look like something that shouldn't exist. But everyone looks like me, so I shouldn't care so much about it.

\- Come on!

Thorin says as he runs away.

When I start to run after him, a sharp pain rush from my right arm and all through my body. The pain is so strong, so I stumble, but before I can fall, I get cached by Kili. But he accidentally grabs me right on my wound and the pain becomes stronger and I scream because of it.

Kili quickly let's go of that arm and grab my left arm. I look at my right arm, and quickly looks away.

My light brown jacket has gotten a darker color around where the wound is. It also has been ripped open, so the wound is exposed to the toxic air that is surrounding us. The bandage is not white anymore, but black and is gliding down my arm.

I guess that's the reason for why my body hurt so much, maybe that's also the reason for why the Spiders attacked us. They felt the smell from my wound and thought that we could be their dinner.

I have no feelings from my fingers up to my elbow, but I can feel that the wound soon enough will reach my mind and shut down my body. The more I'll run, the faster will the poison spread through my body.

I take out my knife and flick it, so it becomes a sword. It's not easy to do that with my left hand, but I managed to do it.

 _"This is going to be difficult with only one arm to fight with."_

\- Come on Ratcha. We can't stay here.

Kili says, his voice is filled with sadness and worry. He can see on me that my body is slowly dying from the wound, and he do not like it.

I sigh heavily and nod my head towards him, and we run after Thorin and the others.

While we run, we have to fight against the Spiders that have come back from Bilbo's distraction. And they are not happy to see their food is on the run.

* * *

After a very long while, we are surrounded by the Spiders. I have been separated from Kili, so now I am leaning heavily onto Fili, for I can barely see, and my body feels heavy.

 _"I will die here. I won't survive this. My mind tried to warn me when we left Beorn's house, but I did not listen. And this is the punishment I have to take for my action, I will die here for I did not listen to my own body."_

But just as I try to get Fili's attention to say farewell, an Elf comes flying down from the trees, killing Spiders along the way before landing in front of us, with an arrow knocked to the bow, ready to shoot us if we do one wrong move.

\- Do not think I won't kill you, Dwarf. It would be my pleasure.

 _"Legolas?!"_

 _"No way, it can't be him."_

 _"And yet he is standing right in front of me. I guess I have to trust my mind this time."_

 _"Look around. We're having company."_

I look around, and sure enough. Everywhere I look, I can only see the Elves of Mirkwood.

 _"We are outnumbered by the Wood Elves."_

\- Help!

\- Kili!

Fili screams.

But before he can run after the cry of help from our brother, I fall backwards and get catch by Bofur, I can see that they are talking to me, but I can't hear them.

 _"Why is the world spinning? Why can't I hear them?"_

 _"You are dying Ratcha. Your body can't fight against this poison anymore."_

 _"No! I can't be dying. No, please don't let me die here, please."_

My mind is closing itself and I have to use all my energy that I have left to not fall asleep. For if I do, then I will never wake up again.

But I know that the fight I have with myself is useless, sooner or later, I will lose the fight.

 _"I should have said farewell when I still had the chance, now I will never be able to say it."_

Fili is sitting beside Bofur who is still holding me, and I can see on both of them that they are fighting against their tears that is threatening to fall down. Fili doesn't even care that an Elf is taking all his weapon from him, his eyes are focused on mine.

\- Enwenno hain!

 _"Take them? What? How can I hear that but nothing else?"_

One of the Elves roughly push Bofur, so he has to move, and, in the progress, he lose the grip he has on me and the Elf that pushed him away gives me one look and wide his eyes.

\- What do we do with this one? She won't be able to walk.

\- Let her stay here then, I won't let one of these Dwarves be carried because they can't walk.

\- She is not a Dwarf.

The Elf says.

Legolas walks over and kneels down to look at me closely. His face has a mixture of confusion and disgust. But when he realizes who I am, his mixture expression turns to recognition and hatred.

\- You.

Is the only thing he says through closed teeth, before quickly standing up.

\- Take her!

He yells at someone.

And even when Bofur, Fili and Thorin tries to prevent the Elves to get closer than they already have, they soon have to give in and I get picked up by the Elves and as we walk away, I lose the battle against myself and pass out.

* * *

Only to wake up again some time later.

 _"Where am I? Am I still alive? How?"_

When I look around, I can see that we are still in the forest and when I try to move, I quickly realize that I can't. I can't do anything more than to look up at the trees. And also see the Elf that is carrying me.

From what I can see it is a female Elf with a beautiful red hair. She looks down at me and smiles when she sees that I am awake.

\- Hai.

She whispers.

I can't move my mouth, but I blink slowly at her and hope that she understands that I can't talk.

She smiles again, and her light brown eyes reminds me of my real mother that for a quick second my mind thinks that it is my real mother that is carrying me, but then I remember that mother doesn't have anything in common with the Elves.

\- Holo in ennyn!

 _"Close the gate?"_

When I look up again, I can see that we walk under this massive gate that I so much recognize from when I was running through the forest when I tried to get to Dale. This gate did I saw the day before I accidentally cut the Elf in the leg.

I did say sorry to him. I even said that I could heal him and then we could act like nothing had happened. Instead I got a bunch of arrows pointed at me. If Legolas hadn't come with his father when he did and shouted: Don't shoot her! I would have many more wounds than I already had gotten.

Legolas had recognized the knife I was carrying and immediately knew that I was a Mind-Changer.

Mind-Changers and the Wood Elves have a friendship that goes far back, and our ancestors made a promise to each other that we would never hurt each other. But because he was only a youngster, he had no power over the Elves he was out and hunting with. Why he even was with them that day I don't know, what I am telling now is what I can see from Legolas mind.

What? I'm curious. Is that a bad thing these days now?

The further we walk into the realm of the Wood Elves, the more tired I get of the poison.

 _"Hey, where are they going?"_

In front of me, I can see that the rest of the company gets pushed towards the throne to the Wood Elves King, Thranduil.

Me on the other hand. I get carried away from them. I try to move so I can get to them, but I can't, for the poison have made me paralyzed so I can't even move my head to see them.

Just then, my world goes black.

 _~ I thought I didn't had to lead you to the afterlife now._


	6. Chapter 5 part 1

When I wrote this chapter, I quickly realize that it had become to long for you to read as a whole chapter. So, as you can see by the name of the chapter. I cut it into two parts. Thank you for reading my story =). It means more than what I can describe.

* * *

\- Ratcha! Stop it!

My father shouts at me.

But I won't stop, not this time. I will not follow him to the afterlife. I won't leave my brothers behind, not like this. Somewhere in the tunnels of the Wood Elves Kingdom.

\- No, father! I won't stop it! Let me go!

I jerk my right hand as hard as I can, and my father's grip loosens up and I stumble back some steps.

When I have found my balance again, I stretch my back and stare angrily at him. He stares back at me, but not as angry as me. His eyes have a little sadness and relief in them.

 _"Relief? Why does he feel relief?"_

\- Don't you understand father? If I struggle this much for not follow you to the afterlife. Doesn't it mean that I will survive? You said that only an Elf could heal this wound, and that is what is happening. The Wood Elves is healing me right now. And if I would follow you to the afterlife, I would leave my family without saying goodbye. I won't do that, I won't do the same as mother did to us. I gave a promise to Dis, I promised her that I would come back to her. And I will follow that promise, I won't do the same as you did. You gave me the same promised and you did not follow it. You sacrificed your life for King Thror, only to see him die with you. I gave a promised to Thorin that I would help him if he needed it. I won't follow you this time father. I still have promises to follow back there.

Father smiles a little before saying.

\- No, I know that you are being healed. I can see that on your arm.

I take of my jacket and look down on my right arm to see how the wound slowly seals itself and becomes nothing more than a white scare. The blood that was on my jacket disappears as well and I give father a confused look.

\- Can they who heal me see this as well?

Father nod and smiles again.

\- You are lucky this time, Ratc. They saved you just in time. And you were right about what you said before. I did not follow my promise I gave you. But I did follow another I gave you.

\- What promise did you gave me that you followed?

\- I said that no matter where you are and where I am, I will always help you. I will always be there. There is nowhere you can go where I can't follow you. And that promise is one that I will follow for as long as you need me to.

Smiling, my father reaches out his arms to a hug, and I throw myself into his embrace while tears falls down my cheeks.

\- Time to wake up.

Father says as he lets go of me and stands up.

Father backs away and the light becomes stronger and like the first time I met father back in Rivendell, I shield my eyes with my hands and close them shut.

But, just as last time, the light becomes strong and stronger until it surrounds me.

* * *

The first thing that I can hear when I wake up again, is the sound of a waterfall close by. Then the sound of an iron door that gets closed and the rustles of keys that lock the door, then some footsteps that quickly disappears from the door.

The sound of the waterfall is the only thing that can be heard for some time before I can hear my name gets called further into the room.

\- Ratcha? Ratcha, please be awake.

\- I'm awake.

I mumble while I try to open my eyes and move my body.

 _"Come on Ratcha. Open your bloody eyes. You can't sleep anymore."_

After some tries, I can finally open my eyes.

The light that comes from outside the door is so bright that I have to blink a few times before my eyes get used to it. Soon after, I can move my head and I look around to see that I am inside a dark prison room that seems like it has been cut straight out from the rock. The door is in fact made of iron and is constructed in a very Elvish way.

With some trouble, I move myself from lying down to sitting up and when I look more attentively, I can see more iron doors which I guess holds the rest of the company locked. Inside the prison room I am in, I meet the very concern and worried eyes that belongs to Kili.

When he sees that it is in fact me who the Elves throwed in, he jumps of the stone looking bed and rushes over to me and tackles me into a big hug. I laugh a little before I return the hug. I can feel tears falls down my cheeks as I take in Kili's scent once again.

\- I thought I would never see you again.

Kili whispers into my neck.

I can feel that he is crying as well, for my neck becomes wet from his tears. I can also hear it in his voice. He is so relieved to see that I'm really here and alive. He just wished that Elves hadn't captured us.

\- Be glad that I'm here and alive Kili. But if we hadn't been captured by the Elves when we did, I wouldn't be sitting here in front of you. I know that I died Kili, father came to lead me to the afterlife. But the Elves healed my wound and brought me back to life. That close that I was to death today, I hope I'll never be again. At least not until it is my time to leave this world.

Kili lets go of me and look at me deep into my eyes. I can see and feel the fear he had before disappears from his eyes and mind.

But a tiny bit of the fear stays behind, for he is not really sure if I will live or that I'll die right in front of him.

\- Kili.

I say and take his hands in mine.

\- I will not die. At least not yet. When father came before, I did everything I could to get away from him. And that is something that I never thought I would do to him. The first time that I meet him when we were in Rivendell, I wanted to be with him. I wanted to take him with me back to Middle-Earth. But father stopped me that time by saying that he can't leave the afterlife. And no matter how much I really want to be with him, my love for you, Fili and the other's that I have come to call family is much stronger than my love to be with father. Father also saw now that I still had life in me. So, he let me struggle as much as I could to give myself more time to wake up. I do want to be with father, but I'll rather be with you and the others than be dead. I'm as alive as you are, and I will not leave you here alone. I swear to you Kili. If you, Fili or uncle is in danger. I will be there and protect you. I will not let anything happen to any of you. You are my family and families stay together, no matter what.

Kili smiles weakly before standing up, pulling me upwards in the progress and then he walks over to the not so comfortable looking bed, there sits down but I remain standing.

\- If you don't mind, I would rather sit by the door. It's so dark here Kili. You know how I am for the darkness.

Kili nods and gives me a sad smile.

I smile weakly back at him before walking back to the door and sit down with my back resting towards the wall on my left, so I can look at Kili but also look outside.

Every night on my journey to Dale I would always be attacked if I wasn't close to the fire or any light source. The fright of when I will be attacked again had stayed with me since then, even if I am not alone, I still don't like darkness. I guess I never will like darkness. But sometimes, I want to lay outside the blaze of the fire to see the stars and the moon lighting up the sky.

\- Ratcha?

\- Yes, Kili?

\- Why do you still have your knife? They took all out weapons from us, why not yours?

I give Kili a confused look, then I look down too see that my knife is indeed still there on my left hip. Staring with wide eyes, I take it out and look at in wonder. Then I look at Kili again.

\- I don't know why they didn't take it.

\- Can it be for that they got hurt when they tried?

\- As I said, I don't know why they didn't take it. I don't think that my knife zapped them if they took it, I think that there is something else in the picture. But I'm not sure to be honest.

\- Give it to me!

Kili says as he launches himself towards me and ripe my knife out of my grasp.

Only to immediately drop it and clutching his hand, his body is screaming in pain as he stares at me in shock.

I stare back in shock as well.

 _"No way. How in Durin's name can my knife hurt the one who take my knife without my permission? It hasn't done that for a long time."_

\- Are you alright, Kili?

I say as I stand up slowly while I pick up the knife and put it back into its folder. Then I slowly walk over to Kili with my hands raised to show that I will not hurt him or anything.

Whenever I accidentally hurt some of the Dwarves, they tend to go into the defense mode. They don't want me to come closer and they definitely don't want me to touch them. The only way for me to get them to trust me again, is if I walk slowly with my hands raised to show that I don't have anything in them. And then I just have to hope that they will calm down when I have reached them. Otherwise I will be punched by them. Or something else.

Call about that everyone is having trust issues with the Mind-Changers.

But luckily for me. Kili stands still when I walk over to him, with his hands still pressed to his chest.

When I reach him, I gently lay my right hand on his left arm and gently push him down onto the bed again.

When he sits down, his wide-eyed stare calms down, but when he looks at me, his eyes still show signs of hurt and worry.

\- Show me your hand Kili.

I say as soft as I can.

Inside I am terrified of what his hand will look like. I am also worried that he will never trust me again. Which is ridiculous to think that your own brother won't trust you for he got hurt of something he did. But that is what's going on inside my head.

Kili sighs and lower his hands down to his lap.

Right in his left palm is a really deep zigzag mark. It doesn't bleed but it's really red and Kili's hand is shaking a little which I guess is because of the electrolyzing zap he got when he took the knife. I look at him with sympathetic eyes and give him a tiny smile.

 _"No wonder he reacted the way he did. Father had said that it would hurt for the one who took my knife. But I still don't understand how it comes that it has started to do that again."_

" _I guess I'll have to ask father the next time I'll see him."_

\- I can't feel my fingers Ratcha.

\- Well, now we know why they didn't take my knife. This wound needs to be taken cared of now if you don't want to have a lightning bolt looking scar on your palm. Close your eyes Kili. I don't want you to go blind when I heal this wound. It will only take a second.

Kili gives me a confused look, still with some hurt feelings in his eyes before he closes them with a sigh. I close my eyes as well and I wrap my hands around his hand.

 _"Im gerande netâl far bendiga nesrika veila."_

That means: Heal this wound and erase the pain.

When I open my eyes again, there is a tiny light still glowing from my hand, and the wound is all gone.

I don't use my powers to heal wounds a lot. Just for that I get very tired when I do use it. And it is not so many people that would let me near them either.

\- Thank you Ratcha.

Kili whispers when he opens his eyes.

I nod towards him with a smile, then I walk back to the door and sit down again.

The sound of the waterfall gives the whole situation here a calmer feeling, which is very weird come to think of it.

A song that my mother sang to me when I went to bed before the events with Smaug comes to my mind and I start to hum it quietly to myself.

At least I thought I did.


	7. Chapter 5 part 2

\- What are you humming on Ratcha?

\- Huh? What?

I look at Kili with questioned eyes, but I can't help but to smile when I see the fascination in his eyes.

\- What was it that you were humming?

He asks again with wonder in his voice.

\- It was just a song my mother used to sing to me when I was tucked to bed. It's just a lullaby she sang to me when I had been crying.

\- Can you sing it for me?

\- You won't understand it.

\- Can't you sing it, so I can understand it then?

\- I… ( _Sigh_ ) Alright.

Kili smiles and makes himself more comfortable on the bed. How he can like that bed is something I don't understand. I don't even think you can call it a bed.

I look out the prison door and take a deep breath.

Don't you cry, it will be alright

You're not alone, I'm right here

I'm here with you, I'll always be

Close your eyes and you will see

That you are safe here with me 

So, dry away your tears, and let the angles come

Let them take you to your free land

Where no evil exists, and where no one can get hurt

Where all your friends are, and the laugh can be heard 

From all the joy that is there, and if you sad

Then let the joy fill your heart and the sadness 

Will be gone

So, don't you cry, let the joy fill your heart

And you will be alright

For no anger should ever hurt you again

When I sing the last note, I can feel that some tears falls down my cheeks.

 _"I miss you mother."_

\- Wow Ratcha. That was a very beautiful song.

When I look at Kili, I can see that some tears also have fallen down from his eyes. He looks at me and then on his lap. He is holding something. Something that looks very familiar.

\- Is that something you got from mother?

I ask.

Kili look up from his hands and nod with a weak smile.

\- Yes. She gave it to me, so I could...

\- Remember your promise that you would come back to her. I know. She gave me one too.

I say and look at the door.

I sigh heavily and says with sadness in my voice.

\- The Elves took my backpack when they captured us. I don't think I'll ever see my drawings again.

\- Hey.

Kili says softly, making me look at him.

\- I can't do anything about your drawings. You can just sketch new ones when we get to Erebor. You maybe even remember some of the old ones you did and sketch them again. But we can have this one together. You will help me remember the promise to mother and I'll help you do the same. Alright?

Smiling, I nod my head to him.

Just then, the sound of footsteps reaches my ears and I look out the door to see that we are getting company from the Elf who carried me here. She is also the reason for me being here alive.

Kili also hears the footsteps and start to throw the stone up into the air and catch it.

 _"That is one way to use it. And also keeping your eyes focused on something else than the door."_

The Elf stops at our prison door and look at me with a shy smile. I return the smile before turning my gaze to Kili.

\- The stone in your hand, what is it?

\- It is a talisman. A powerful spell lies upon it. If any but a Dwarf reads the runes on this stone, they will be forever cursed.

Kili says as he holds up the stone for the Elf to see. She quickly takes a step back and stares in shock.

 _~ Kili! Don't do that, she is the one who saved my life. Don't become like uncle._

\- If that is true. Then how does it come that I can read it without having a curse on me brother? I'm not a Dwarf. It's just a token. You shouldn't listen to him. He has a weird sense of humor.

I say to prevent the Elf from walking away.

I don't know why I do so, but my mind tells me that she needs to trust us for she is going to save one of us lives again later on.

She stops in her tracks and look at me with her hazelnut eyes. I can feel the daggers that Kili gives my back. But his feelings have more laughter and love than hate, so I don't care about the daggers his eyes throws at me.

 _"Wait a minute. Did I just feel love from Kili? Oh, come on! Don't say that Kili is in love with the Elf."_

" _But hang on. The Elf also has those feelings for Kili, but she doesn't want to admit it to herself."_

" _Oh, great. Another lover denying thing. First Bilbo and Thorin, and now this. Just what this journey needs."_

The Elf, whose name is Tauriel, gives Kili a questioned look and he laugh before saying.

\- It's a runestone. My mother gave it to me, so I'd remember my promise.

\- What promise?

Tauriel says, trying really hard to hide her excitement but not doing it well.

\- That we will come back to her.

I say as I look at Kili with sadness in my voice.

\- Mother gave me one as well. But you and the other Elves took my backpack when we got here. My runestone was in there. So was my drawing equipment. I don't think that you could give it back to me?

I ask as I look back at Tauriel with hopeful eyes.

I haven't used my powers on her, more than to find out her name, so, I hope that I can convince her to give my backpack to me.

She looks at me with confused eyes. She then gets a calmer look and says.

\- Do you mean this one?

She reaches over to the left of me and takes out my backpack.

\- How could it have been there? Why haven't they taken it?

I ask in wonder as Tauriel tells one of the guards to open the door to my cell.

I stand up and show with my hand to Kili to stay on the bed and not try to break out.

 _~ But this is our chance to get out of here!_

 _~ No, it is not Kili! We are outnumbered, and you don't have any weapon to fight with! I will not let you risk your life trying to get out of here. They will kill you as soon as you step out of this door. So, don't you think of moving from that bed as long as this door is open._

Kili mutters something that I choose not to listen to. But he remains seated on the bed for the whole time it takes for the guards to open the door, give me my backpack and close the door again.

\- Thank you.

I say as Tauriel close the door. She looks at me and smiles.

\- But I don't understand. Why didn't you take it away? And why did you give it back? Not that I'm complaining over it.

Tauriel smiles again and her smile reminds me so much of my mother that it hurts.

\- Because of that you are the last of your kin, Ratcha. Our King decided to not take your things. He did not say anything more than that.

I nod towards her with a smile.

I still don't understand, but her mind is showing me that she is telling the truth.

Meanwhile, Kili have kept on throwing the runestone up into the air and catch it in his hands.

But this time, he misses and before I can react, the stone falls out of the cell and if Tauriel haven't been fast and placed her foot on it. The stone would have fallen down into the river and we would never have seen it again.

Kili jumps down from the bed and walks over to the door. I lay down my backpack and walk closer to the door as well. The sound of laughter can be heard from somewhere in the Kingdom.

\- Sounds like quiet a party you're having up there.

Kili says.

He looks at me before raising his arm. I smile at him and lean over to him and he lays his raised arm over my shoulder.

\- It is Mereth-en-Gilith, the feast of Starlight.

Tauriel says with a smile.

She steps away from us and while she speaks, she looks up into the roof, as if she is trying to see the sky that is outside.

\- All light is sacred to the Eldar, but Wood Elves love best is the light of the stars.

\- I always thought it is a cold light, remote and far away.

Kili says.

I look at him and smile, before I raise his arm and take a step away from him. He looks at me with a confused look and I smile at him, then I nod towards the door. He seems to understand what I mean and walk closer to the door.

Tauriel look at him and walk closer to the door as well and says.

\- It is memory, precious and pure. Like your promise.

She hands over the stone to Kili and smiles. Kili takes the stone and look back at Tauriel.

\- I have walked there sometimes, beyond the forest and up into the night. I have seen the world fall away and the white light forever fill the air.

I smile as the feeling of happiness and excitement flush through Tauriel's heart. She has so much in common with my mother that I have a hard time not to say mother to her.

Mother have always been in love with the starlight. She and I used to sit on the backside of our house and look at the stars and imagine that they are our ancestors that is looking down at us and making sure that we will have a life with no sadness. And our life would be full of joy and that nothing bad would happen.

But see how well that went.

\- I saw a fire moon once. It rose over the pass near Dunland, huge: red and gold it was, filled the sky. We were an escort for some merchants from Ered Luin, they were trading in Silverbuck for furs. We took the Greenway south, keeping the mountain to our left, and then, this huge fire moon, right in our path. I wish I could have shown you it.

As Kili keeps on talking about the fire moon for Tauriel, who have sat down on the stairs that is by our cell, the feeling of jealousy and hate comes through my mind and I look around to see where it can come from.

When I look up, I can see Legolas standing in the dark and staring down at us. He is not happy over seeing Tauriel is sitting and talking to a Dwarf, yet along telling what they are celebrating.

 _"He came here searching for Tauriel to take her to the feast. He did not expect to find her talking to one of their prisoners."_

" _Hang on. He also has feelings for Tauriel."_

" _Oh, that's great. Kili have gotten himself into a love triangle. Yay. Thorin will not like this. But he won't care about it, if he doesn't know right?"_

" _I guess I can use some of my powers to keep their love for each other a secret for everyone until they finally realize it themselves. Then it is Kili's problem to tell Thorin."_

 _~ Ratcha?_

 _~ Fili! I have actually forgotten to see if you and the others are alright. I'm so sorry._

 _~ Don't think about it now. But why is Kili talking to an Elf?_

 _~ If I would have known. I would have told you. Right now, I don't._

 _~ Can't you look into his mind or something?_

 _~ Fili! No, I will not look into Kili's head to see why he is talking to her. I'll leave it to him to say that later. I don't care if he is talking to her. If he wants to do that, then I won't stop him because you don't like it._

 _~ Geez. I just asked. Sorry._

 _~ No. I'm the one to say sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you._

 _~ Then we say sorry both._

 _~ On the count of three?_

 _~ Alright._

 _~ One._

 _~ Two._

 _~ Three._

 _~ Sorry!_

 _~ I'm so glad that Thorin convinced Dis to adopt you Ratcha. I can't ask for a better sister._

 _~ Thanks, Fili. I couldn't have asked for a better family than the one I have now, though I wish I still had my real family in this life._

 _~ Ratcha. What happened to your family is nothing you nor I can change. But we can make sure that the life we have together now means something. Both for you and for the rest of us. When we take back Erebor, imagine all the hiding places we can use. Or the massive areas we can use for our games._

 _~ I can imagine that Fili. But first we need to take back Erebor._

 _~ Which we will with the help of Bilbo. Speaking of him. Have you seen him?_

 _~ No, I have not. I have been passed out for a long time you know._

 _~ Oh, right. But do you think he is alright?_

 _~ I think so Fili._

 _~ Alright._

Fili goes quiet and I don't have anything more to say to him.

So, I close my eyes and _'look'_ on the others to see that they are alright. They are, but none of them are happy over that they are stuck here.

 _"Who isn't?"_

* * *

After some time, Tauriel walks away and Kili stays at the door for some time after she left. He then walks over to the bed and starts to throw his stone again.

The braid that Bofur did when we were at Beorn's house have starting to come out and is really bugging me. So, I take it out and tries to brush it with my fingers as much as I can.

 _"Sorry Bofur. You'll have to make a new one later."_

\- I'll wager the suns on the rise. It must be nearly dawn.

Bofur shouts from his cell.

The feeling of sadness lays on top of all of us as the realization of that we maybe won't reach the mountain in time goes through our minds.

\- We're never going to reach the mountain, are we?

Ori asks to no one specific.

I look down on the stone that I got from mother and sighs.

Just then, the feeling of joy comes through my mind and I look up from the stone just in time to see Bilbo come around the corner with the guard keys hanging in his hand.

\- Not stuck in here, you're not.

\- Bilbo!

Balin screams in happiness and surprise.

I stand up and I can feel a really big smile comes to my face as I see the happiness from all of us flows around us and Bilbo.

Everyone starts to exclaim in surprise until Bilbo shushes us.

\- Shh! There're guards nearby!

Bilbo unlocks Thorin's cell first and then proceeds to open the rest of the cells, telling us to close the doors again so it will take longer time for the Elves to understand that we have escaped.

Thorin tells Ori to walk up the stairs, but Bilbo stop him and says that we should follow him instead. Then he walks down some other stairs.

I shrug my shoulders before following him and the others further into the Kingdom of the Wood Elves.


	8. Chapter 6

\- What do we do now!?

Bofur asks from his barrel.

Bilbo had led us down to the cellars with some angry comments from Bofur and Kili.

Bofur had said that Bilbo was supposed to lead us out not further in, for Bilbo to answer that he knows what he is doing. But when he told us to climb into the barrels, even I had to wonder if he really knows what he is doing.

\- Are you mad? They'll find us.

Dwalin had said.

I could see in Bilbo's face that he really knew what he was doing, and having trouble to get us to trust him was making him worried. But he gave Thorin one glance and Thorin had shout-whispered.

\- Do as he says!

I was the quickest to climb into one of the barrels and when I looked out from mine that was on the top, after that I had taken of my backpack and laid it at the bottom of the barrel, I can see that Balin have climbed up to the other barrel beside me.

And now that we all are in one barrel each, part from Bilbo who still stands on the ground, we look at him with questioned eyes.

\- Hold your breath.

\- Hold my breath? What do you mean? Waah!

Bilbo push the lever that he has been standing by, and the floor beneath us opens up and we fall down into the river that was below us.

\- Waah!

It takes some seconds for me until I know if I'm upside down or not. But with some help from Dwalin, I can finally breath and keep my barrel up right.

 _"I hope that my drawings are not completely destroyed after this ride."_

 _"Look up!"_

From the roof comes Bilbo falling down and lands in the water beside Nori, who grabbed his jacket and pull him up from the water.

But Bilbo can't fit inside the barrel with Nori, so he has to hand on the side of the barrel.

 _"I hope we don't go through very bumpy river streams."_

" _But if my instincts are right, then we will be happy if our Hobbit is still with us when we reach the shore."_

\- Well done, master Baggins.

Thorin says and Bilbo waves it off, couching out water and shaking his head in an attempt to get the water out of his eyes.

\- Come on. Let's go!

Thorin says before he turns around in his barrel and start to swim out of the mountain.

\- Hold on!

 _"Huh?"_

In front of my eyes I see Thorin, Balin and Dwalin disappear and I quickly realize why.

The water goes down into a waterfall and there is no other way than the waterfall to get out of here.

 _"Oh great."_

I take a deep breath before I get the water all around me again.

Couching, I shake my head in order to get the bloody water away from my eyes.

When I look some further away in front of us, I can see a gate and I can also see that it is still open.

But just as Thorin reaches the gate, a horn signal can be heard from the Kingdom and one of the Elves that is standing as guards by the gate rushes over to a lever, very similar to the one Bilbo used before.

But none of us that is in the barrels wants this lever to be used.

But that is just what's happens.

Before I even manage to tell the guard to stop, the gate closes, and we are once again captured by the Elves.

Suddenly, a whistling sound reaches my ears. A sound that can only come from an arrow that have been shot.

I look up at the Elf who pulled the lever just in time to see the arrow burry itself deep in the guard's neck, and with a grunting noise, he falls down from the plateau.

Where he just stood is now an Orc standing with a new arrow already knocked to the bow.

\- Look out!

I scream to whoever might listen.

The guard beside the fallen Elf looks in shock as the Orc pulls the arrow back, ready to shoot him.

But instead of that the Elf is the one who falls down with an arrow in its neck. It is the Orc. But of course, does he have to fall down over us.

I look back from where we just came from and I can see that Legolas and Tauriel have arrived with some of the other Elves.

But I can understand that they didn't come to help us. They came to take us back to the dungeons. They didn't expect to meet some others who also wants to capture us.

\- Kili! What are you doing?

I look back to see Kili fighting against some of the Orcs. He kills one that is fighting one of the Elves, saving the Elf in the process. Then he rushes towards the lever.

Just as he reaches the top of the stairs in order to get to the lever, the same feeling that I had when we left Beorn's house comes back.

But this time I can see what will happen.

\- Kili stop!

I shout just as the arrow hit Kili's leg.

\- Kili!

Both Fili and I scream.

For some reason, the pain that Kili gets from being hit by the arrow flies over to me and I make a weird face. The pain is really sharp, but I know what kind of arrow Kili has been hit by.

My mother was very hard at me that I needed to learn the differences between the weapons that exist in Middle-Earth. Why I didn't understand by the time, but now when I see the arrow that is imbedded in Kili's leg, I thank mother for all those times she forced me to name all the different arrows.

The arrow that is stuck in Kili's leg is completely black, and I know that only one specific Orc race can made them. Kili have been hit by none other than a Morgul arrow. And it's only the Gundabad Orcs that can make them. I don't know how I can heal him. That was something my mother never taught me.

Kili manage to somehow crawl himself to the lever and pulls the lever down and the gate opens up and we can get away from the chaos that is happening around us.

Then he crawls to the side and falls down into his barrel again, only that he breaks the arrow and screams in pain.

* * *

As we are being guided by the water to somewhere the Orcs follows us and tries to shoot us with their arrows.

 _"They are really bad shooters. But I guess that is good for us right now."_

One Orc leaps towards me but I take out my knife and cuts off his head.

 _~ Why do you..._

 _~ Don't ask Fili. I'll tell you later. Right now, I just want to get away from this mess._

* * *

We kill Orcs from left and right as they launch themselves at us. And those who are on the riverbank gets taken down by the Elves that followed us as well.

\- Cut the log!

I manage to flick my knife, so it grows to a sword just in time for me to cut the log when I pass by under it.

And my cut is the final cut for the log to break and send the Orcs that were on top go it down into the water.

* * *

Suddenly, Bombur, who have been behind me, flies out of the water and up onto the ground. I didn't saw how he managed to do that, but as Bombur stumbles down the small cliff, the barrel breaks and when he reach the end of the cliff and the barrel comes to a halt, Bombur jumps up and start to swing around with two axes that he somehow has taken from the Orcs.

Bombur manage to kill a lot of the Orcs before running to the river where he throws the axes to us and jumps very gracefully into an empty barrel.

 _"Where did that barrel come from? Did we have an empty barrel with us the whole time?"_

* * *

I hear Dwalin and Gloin grunts in pain and annoyance behind me. And when I look to see why, I can't help but to laugh. The reason for their grunts in pain is simply because Legolas has jumped from the riverbank and onto their heads.

From there he shoots Orcs that comes to close. He jumps from one Dwarf to another which also means that he jumps on my head.

\- Ouch! Hey!

Legolas looks back at me and gives me a quick smile before he jumps back up on the riverbank where he continues his fight against the Orcs.

He either shoots them with his bow and arrow, or he uses his daggers to take down the Orcs.

But when he is too focused with fighting an Orc that seems to be as great with sword as Legolas are with his bow or daggers. Another Orc sneaks up behind him with his sword raised above his head to strike him in the back.

But Thorin is much faster than the Orc and throws the axe he has been using for a long time, and the axe hits the Orc behind Legolas which kills it.

At the same time as the axe hits the Orc, Legolas finally takes down the Orc that has been keeping him busy in the meantime.

Hearing the grunting noise behind him, Legolas turn around and look at the dying Orc with the axe imbedded in its neck. He looks back at us and seems to understand who throw the axe that saved his life. He bows his head almost unnoticeable that I wonder if I really saw him do it.

Legolas is the last one I see before the water streams drives us away from Mirkwood and the Wood Elves.


	9. Chapter 7

\- Wow, wow! Ouch!

The water streams is so strong that I'm impressed that the barrels hasn't broke and also that we haven't sunk down for all the water that are inside the barrels.

 _"How far is this going to last? I don't want to be in this river when and if the barrel breaks."_

Just then, my barrel smashes into the riverbank and I grunt in pain again as my rib's smacks in a very uncomfortable way.

 _"If this stream doesn't calm down soon, either the barrel breaks or my ribs will."_

I close my eyes and hope that this bumpy ride will be over before the water wins the battle against the barrel and I will drown.

I can't crawl myself to a ball inside the barrel, if I would do that, then I don't know how hard I will knock my head when the barrel smashes into the riverbank again.

But luckily for us, or my head, the strong streams calms down and when I open my eyes again, I sigh in relief and I look up to the sky and smile.

 _"Thank you, whoever heard my call for help. You helped us survive this monster stream."_

\- Anything behind us?

Thorin screams.

I look behind and when I look around, I can feel the fear grow in me as my eyes search everywhere for Orcs or elves.

But when I can't see anything more than trees and very tall cliffs that surrounds us, I sigh in relief and I look back at Thorin and screams.

\- Not that I can see!

\- I think we've outrun the Orcs!

Bofur shouts from his barrel.

I look at him and pinch myself in my arm.

Bofur's hat is drenched with water so it is covering his eyes so he can't see anything, and I guess his barrel are almost filled with water for it is tilting to the side.

\- Not for long; we've lost the current. Make for the shore! Come on, let's go!

Thorin screams as he points at the shore that is on my right side.

I start to paddle with my hands to get as close to the shore as I can before I climb out of the barrel. Before I let the barrel follow the streams, I grab my backpack and make a sad face.

The backpack is completely drenched with water as well and the little hope I had that my drawings is somewhat looking like they did before float away with the water.

 _"Oh no."_

Looking around, I see that no one is looking my way. I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I make a quick gesture with my hand and the backpack dries itself somewhat, but I know that the drawings inside it are fully dry.

\- On your feet!

Thorin says as he walks over to me and lay his hand on my shoulder.

I look up at him and smile as I nod my head and stand up. Thorin smiles back before turning around and walks over to the others.

\- Kili's wounded. His leg needs binding.

Fili shouts.

I throw my backpack over my shoulder and walks over to where he, Bofur and Kili are.

There I kneel down beside Fili and he gives me a sad smile. I return the smile and look at Kili's leg.

 _"The wound is far worse than I thought."_

" _Well, considering that he has been in the water that can have all sort of infecting bacteria in it I shouldn't be so surprised."_

-There's an Orc pack on our tail. We keep moving.

Thorin says as he gives Kili a quick glance.

\- To where?

Balin asks.

\- To the mountain. We're so close.

Bilbo says while he squeeze the sleeve of his jacket in an attempt to get out some of the water.

\- A lake is between us and that mountain, Bilbo. We have no way to cross it.

I say as I look at him with sad eyes.

\- So, then we go around.

\- The Orcs will run us down, as sure as daylight. We have no weapons to defend ourselves.

Fili gives me a quick glance, but I shake my head.

 _~ But you have your knife._

 _~ I can't protect all of you by myself, Fili._

 _~ Bilbo has his sword._

 _~ No, Fili. We can't protect you all._

Fili sighs in anger but doesn't say anything more. I look away so he can't see the tears that forms in my eyes.

 _"He don't know the fear that I would have if I had to protect them all by myself. Even if I had Bilbo by my side. I couldn't even protect Kili even when I knew what would happen."_

\- Bind his leg, quickly. You have two minutes.

Thorin says.

Fili and Bofur starts to help Kili to bind his leg, and I walk over to Ori and sit down with a sigh.

Without having to say a word, Ori understands that I'm sad and he places his hand on my back and start to form small circles in an attempt to calm me down a little.

I look at him with sad eyes and the tears that I didn't wanted Fili to see falls down my cheeks.

Ori wipes away some of them before he gives me a smile. I return the smile, if only a weak one.

Still with the smile on his face, Ori takes of his shoe and empty it from all the water he has in it.

 _"That can't have been nice to have."_

Then the feeling of that we are being watched hits me. At the same time, the unmistakable sound of a bow that's get stretched reach my ears.

 _"It's coming from behind us!"_

Just as I jump up to protect Ori, Dwalin jumps in front of us with a branch in his hand.

But before anyone can react, Dwalin's branch gets an arrow impeded between his hands. Kili jumps up with some struggles with a rock in his hand, but the attacker is quick with his bow and shots the rock out of Kili's hand.

 _"He is not an Elf. But how can he be so good with bow and arrow?"_

" _Well, not everyone need to be an Elf to be good with bow and arrow."_

" _He must have met a Mind-Changer before. His mind are not entirely open, but it is still closed enough so I can't read it easily."_

\- Do it again, and you're dead.

The mysterious man says as he points his bow towards Dwalin.

I quickly walk over to Dwalin and place my hand on his arm and lower it. He looks at me with furious eyes but forces himself to calm down when he sees the determination in mine.

 _~ You saw how quick he was with the bow. Do you really want to risk your life when he warned you? I don't think that's a good idea, right?_

Dwalin mumbles in Khuzdul and I roll my eyes.

 _"He really knows the worst words there is."_

I give him an angry stare before I walk away from him and back to Ori to help him up. Ori gives me a quick nod and then look at the mysterious man.

\- Excuse me, but, uh, you're from Laketown, if I'm not mistaken? That barge over there, it wouldn't be available for hire, by any chance?

Balin has walked up to this barge man with raised hands. The bargeman lowers his bow and look at him with questioned eyes.

 _"What do you have in mind Balin?"_

I look at Balin and the mysterious man and then back at Balin.

The more I wonder about what Balin have in mind, the more I start to understand him.

 _"Laketown is the closes to the mountain and their weapons are one of the greatest weaponries that the world of Men have ever done. And they can help us to get as big distance from the Orcs than we have right now."_

The stranger looks at us without saying a word. He then looks at his barge and then back at us.

\- Why would you want to hire my barge?

\- We can't get to the Iron Hills by ourselves. We don't have any boat and we can't walk on the water. If we could walk on the water, then we wouldn't be standing here.

I say as I walk up to Balin.

He gives me a quick glance with relief, and I nod towards him.

The man looks at me and I can see the recognition in his eyes.

 _"Oh, great. Here comes the question on why the Mind-Changer is with some Dwarves."_

But that question never comes.

Instead, he opens his mind to me as he walks over to his barge and start to load the barrels onto the barge.

 _"That was nothing I saw coming. He opened up his mind to me without even saying a word."_

We walk after him and he gives us a questioned glance.

\- What makes you think that I will help you?

He asks.

I gently push Balin towards the man and Balin takes a deep breath before he stars to talk.

 _"This will be interesting. Bard over here will be a hard one to convince to help us to reach that mountain. But we really needs to get to Laketown so we can get some food and some weapons."_

\- Oh, come on, come on, enough with the niceties.

Dwalin mumbles loudly beside Thorin and Bard gives him an amusement glance.

\- What's your hurry?

\- What's it to you?

 _~ Dwalin! Do you want to reach Erebor or not?_

 _~ Of course, I want to Ratcha._

 _~ Then cut it with your snapping comebacks! We won't reach Erebor in time if you don't learn how to keep your mouth shut when it has to. And if you want to lecture me on my behavior, then learn how to control yours first. I can control mine but if I have to lose my temper because of that you can't stop being mean and cruel then so beat it._

Dwalin look at me but doesn't say anything.

\- I don't know what business you had with the Elves, but I don't think it ended well. No one enters Laketown but by leave of the Master. All his wealth comes from trade with the Woodland Realm. He will see you in irons before risking the wrath of King Thranduil.

Bard says as he tosses the rope to Balin.

Balin looks at Thorin for help and Thorin mouths that he should offer more.

\- I'll wager there are ways to enter that town unseen.

\- Aye. But for that, you will need a smuggler.

\- For which we will pay double.

Bard looks at Balin with suspicious eyes.

He then looks at the rest of us and when he meets my eyes, I nod towards him and he looks back at Balin.

\- Alright.

The relief that everyone gets overwhelms me and I take a moment before I walk onto the barge with the others and Bard push the barge out into the river.

I walk to the front of the barge where Thorin stands and places one hand on his back. He looks at me with questioned eyes and I smile at him before saying.

\- We will reach the mountain, Thorin. We're so close now that nothing can stop us. Don't worry, soon you will be the rightfully King under the Mountain.

Thorin smiles and lays one arm over my shoulders.

\- And you will be the Princess under the Mountain.

\- I think I'll just want to be a Mind-Changer. I'm not of the royalty material as Fili and Kili. And I don't think your kin would like to have me as their Princess.

\- We will teach you. My kin may not like it at the beginning, but they will come around it. And you can explore Middle-Earth how much you want.

\- Thank you, uncle.

Thorin squeezes my shoulder and smile at me. I smile back towards him and look out into the misty water.

 _"We are so close now. I can feel it."_

" _But why do I have this nagging feeling that not everything is as it should be?"_


	10. Chapter 8

With my head leaning onto one of the barrels and my eyes closed, it is somewhat hard for the tears not to fall down now when the realization that we maybe are safe and also that I am so tired and scared that I don't know what to do.

 _"That was too close. I can't understand that I couldn't stop Kili in time before that arrow struck him. And now I can't heal him. I don't have the powers or the knowledge to do it. Why did I follow uncle? Why didn't I just listen to mother and stayed with her? Why, why, why?"_

 _~ Calm down little worrier._

 _~ Father?_

I open my eyes and pinch myself in my arm, so I won't scream in joy.

Right in front of me is father. I have never been so glad to see him again as I am now. Especially now when I need him the most.

 _~ Don't cry, Ratcha. You couldn't have understood that it was Kili that your mind was trying to warn you about._

 _~ But now I can't heal him. And that poison will choke him soon. I can't just stand by his side when I can see the damage that the poison does to him. I just can't._

 _~ I know, I know. It is hard to see your own family in pain. I have been there myself. But you have to be strong for him Ratc. You can slow the poison down remember. You don't need anything for that._

 _~ I've already tried father! I can't slow it down. I only made it go faster. I don't want to give him more pain than he already have. Please father, what can I do to help him? To ease the pain, he has and the guilt I have in my heart?_

Father kneels down and lays his hands on mine and smile at me. But the smile has no feelings except for one. Sadness.

 _~ No. No! I won't let go of him father. He has to survive. If there is nothing, I can do to save his life. Then… then take mine and spare his. Please, I beg you father. Let him live his life._

 _~ You would do anything for him, won't you?_

 _~ Of course, I would father! Even if it mean that my life had to end. Was this the reason that you let me go last time? So, you could come back and take me here instead?_

 _~ No, Ratcha. What you are asking me to do is something I can't do. I can't spare his life, nor can I take yours. Kili's life can only be saved if he get the right cure, and that is something I don't know. I can't help him nor you Ratcha. This time it is not for some rules. This time it is simply because I don't have the skills to heal him. That was your mother's territory._

I force the sadness down as I lower my head and shut my eyes hard.

 _"This can't be happening. It just can't!"_

 _~ I'm sorry Ratcha. I wish there was something I could have..._

 _~ Don't! Don't say you are sorry father! I don't need your sensitive side. I only need something to heal my brother. And you just said that you don't have the right skills for it. Why do you try to help when you already know that there is nothing that can help me? Why do you give me false hope when you know that I really need hope?!_

Father sighs and shake his head slowly. He looks at me and I can see his emotion getting mixed together. He sighs again and when he speaks, his voice is as low as it can be.

 _~ Because Ratcha. I am your father, and a father does everything he can to help his child. Even if it means that he has to give her false hope when that is not what she needs._

He takes a deep breath again and even though his voice isn't as low as it was before, what he says is way scarier than if he had said it with his low voice.

 _~ If you don't start to see beyond what you want or need to see in that moment. Then you won't be able to control your powers. If you don't start to accept the flaws and wrongs you did before, then you won't be able to see the future in a clear way. You will only see fragments, or you won't see it at all, and that will slowly destroy you. That is something I don't want to see happen to you. If you don't learn how to accept who you were, you won't be able to accept who you will become. Don't become like my brother. He became mad when his powers started to go berserker inside him that my parents had to stop him. If they hadn't stopped him when they did, you and I wouldn't have this conversation now. He would have killed me and the rest of the family. He couldn't accept his past and he let it go as far as he did and that almost killed him. So, start accepting who you are and don't blame yourself as much as you do now. If you don't, you won't be able to help your family here with your quest. They won't trust you when they find out what your powers are capable off. And you won't be able to save Kili's life, for you won't be alive to do it._

I stare at father with fear in my eyes.

I have never realized that my powers could do such thing as to go mad if I keep on the same way as I am doing now. Now I'm scared of myself and what I could be capable of. I even understand why some don't trust us Mind-Changers now. I wouldn't trust one if I wasn't one.

 _~ How can I accept myself? How can I accept my past so I can be able to see past what's in front of us and also be able to see what's ahead of us? How can I accept the one I have become?_

 _~ Start with that you stop listen so much on your mind, and listen more to your heart. What does your heart say that you should do to help Kili? Remember how I taught you to listen with your ears._

I nod my head and close my eyes.

Instead of seeing darkness, I _"see"_ myself. But I see myself in different colors. My hearing is in a blue color. I can also see a red color and a pink one. The pink color shines stronger than the red one and when I look at the red one, I can _"hear"_ a very quiet voice. I try to concentrate on that one. But the more I try to concentrate on the red color, the stronger does the voice from the pink color becomes. Forcing me to lose my concentration to the red's voice and choose the pink's voice.

 _"No! I won't listen to you now! I want to listen to what my heart has to say and not you. I may not like everything I did before, but that have made me who I am now. And I am proud of who I am, and I have a family who cares about me and I care about them. So, back down and let me listen to my heart!"_

My minds voice calms down and in the progress, something klicks inside me and suddenly I don't feel as tired or mentally exhausted as I did before. The past becomes clearer to remember and the future becomes so much easier to see.

I push the happiness aside and let the voice from my heart surround me and I can see what my heart wants me to do.

 _~ I know you could do it._

Father says with a smile as I open my eyes again.

I smile back at him and he leans closer to me and kisses me on my forehead.

I chuckle lightly and father smiles again.

 _~ Why haven't you told me about this before?_

 _~ Because you were supposed to find out alone. We all had to understand that without help. But I couldn't let it stay in the shadows any longer._

 _~ Thank you for telling me father._

 _~ I have to go Ratcha. Your family needs you now._

 _~ You are a part of my family father. We will fight sometimes, but we're still a family._

Father smiles again and as he disappears, he leaves a scent of summer.

\- Watch out!

Bofur's scream takes me back to what's happening right now and the cold air bites me with such force that my eyes waters and I lose my feeling in my fingers for a second.

I stand up and as I walk over to the others, I wrap my arms around myself, but I can't stop my teeth from hacking.

I stop beside Bilbo and look at Kili who are sitting down beside Fili. He looks at me and smiles. I smile back but that smile disappears quickly as I remember what my heart told me to do if I wanted to help Kili. The only thing I could do is that I won't show him what's going on inside him. And that is going to be hard because Kili knows that I can see, and he will be angry with me when I won't show him.

\- What are you trying to do, drown us?!

Thorin screams at Bard with anger and I take a deep breath, so I won't tell him of.

 _"He won't change his mind even if I told him to stop being himself."_

\- I was born and bred on these waters, Master Dwarf. If I wanted to drown you, I would not do it here.

Bard answers.

You can really hear the smile in his voice, and I smile to myself.

\- Oh, I have enough of this lippy lakeman. I say we throw him over the side and be done with him.

I give Dwalin an angry stare and he looks away mutter something about being sensitive for everyone.

 _"Thanks, Dwalin. It's really fun to hear that you think of me like that. By Durin, why are you so… so… so annoying and mean!?"_

\- Ohh, Bard, his name is Bard.

Bilbo says with an anger and annoyed voice.

I look at Bilbo with a quick smile.

 _~ You actually took the courage to ask him what his name is. Great job Bilbo._

Bilbo looks at me really quick and smiles.

\- We do not have to like him, we simply have to pay him. Come one now, lads, turn out your pockets.

Balin says to us and we take out what little money we have and give it to him.

\- There's, um, just a problem; we're ten coins short.

Thorin crosses his arms and with a sigh he says.

\- Gloin. Come on. Give us what you have.

 _"Of course, it is Gloin who doesn't have payed enough. He with his big pockets can have money everywhere."_

While Gloin goes on with that he has been bled dry by this adventure, I look out into the misty waters.

 _"Is that…? Is that Erebor?"_

I walk over to Thorin and he looks at me with questioned eyes. I nod my head towards what I saw through the mist and when Thorin look, I can see the smile grow on his face as he sees the mountain that once was his home.

Thorin nudge Dwalin in the side and one by one the Dwarves and Bilbo stands up and looks at our final destination.

\- Bless my beard. Take it. Take all of it.

At the same time as Gloin gives his money that he has been hiding to Balin, Bard comes up to us. And he looks worried.

\- The money, quick, give it to me.

He says as he reach out his hand.

\- We'll pay you when we get our provisions, but not before.

 _"When did you become so cold Thorin? I have never seen you like this and I don't like seeing it."_

\- If you value your freedom, you'll do as I say. There are guards ahead.

With confused eyes, we all look out into the misty water again and out from the fog appears the boarders of Laketown.

\- Here.

Balin says, still with his eyes on the town that comes towards us.

Bard takes the money and as he walks back to the pole, he talks to us over his shoulder.

\- Climb into the barrels. The Master will put me and you in irons if he sees any one of you.

\- What? Again?

I say as Dwalin walks towards Bard with raised fists.

Before Dwalin can get any closer to Bard, Thorin grab his arm and with one glance he tells him that he shouldn't waist his energy on Bard. Dwalin sighs in anger but he walks towards the barrels and climbs into one of them.

Everyone sighs as well as we climb into the remaining barrels.

* * *

After I don't know how long, the barge comes to a stop, and when we gets quiet, we can hear voices from the dock.

 **"- Shh, what's he going?"**

Dwalin whispers.

 _"Why do you always have to sound so angry Dwalin?"_

 **"- He's talking to someone."**

Bilbo whispers from somewhere.

 _"Why did he got a barrel with a hole so he could see out? Why couldn't I have gotten that?!"_

 **"- And he's… pointing right at us?"**

 _"Oh no."_

 **"- Now they're shaking hands."**

 **"- What?"**

Comes from Thorin.

He must be in one of the barrels closes to me, for it sounds like he is in the same barrel as me.

 **"- That villain! He's selling us out!"**

 **"- No, he's not, Dwalin. Stop being so predictive about people. You don't know him!"**

I whisper.

At the same time a weird sound makes me look up.

 _"Oh great, my curiosity is going to kill me one day. Better to look down again."_

I manage to look down before the first fishes start to fall down on top of me. And they are ice cold.

* * *

When we are covered in fish, so we barely can move, the barge start to move again. And if the ice-cold air wasn't bad enough, the cold fish makes my teeth shatter and I can feel that the rest of the company is as cold as I am.

 _"We will freeze to death with this cold fish on us."_

I manage to move my hand, so the palm faces upwards. And without having to say a word, my palm start to glow with a soft orange color and the cold disappears from me and gets replaced with warmth instead. I smile to myself as I welcome the warmth with open arms.

 _"That was a first. Normally I have to try at least three times before I can get it correctly. Oh well. I guess I have father to thank again. But I do wish he had told me a little earlier what was happening inside me if I kept going the way I did."_

The hug comes with such surprise that I almost shout in shock. But I quickly stop myself from screaming and I smile as the hugger let's go of me.

 _~ Thank you, Ratcha. That cold was killing me._

 _~ Your welcome, Ori. To be honest, I am actually surprised that you also got rid of the cold. I have never succeeded with that spell on myself, so that it also took your cold away as well is great news for me._

 _~ That's great Ratc. But I really wish we didn't have to be buried with fish. Urk!_

 _~ Haha, don't worry Ori. It will be over soon._

 _~ I hope your right._

 _~ Thanks for the trust. Why do you not trust me when you know I have always been right before?_

 _~ Sorry Ratcha. I do trust you, don't think otherwise. But I don't want to be in this barrel any longer. These fishes are killing me._

 _~ Wasn't it the cold who was killing you before?_

 _~ That was then. Now it is this fish!_

 _~ You are one remarkable Dwarf Ori._

 _~ I try as much as I can!_

\- Quiet! We're approaching the toll gate

Bard shout-whispers as he kicks my barrel.

 _"Ouch!"_

\- Halt! Goods inspection! Papers, please. Oh, it's you, Bard.

\- Moring, Percy!

\- Anything to declare?

\- Nothing, but I am cold and tired, and ready for home.

 _"Like we aren't cold and tired too?! At least you don't have to stare into the cold stare of a dead fish!"_

\- Here we are. All in order.

\- Not so fast.

 _"Oh, come on! Why does it have to be someone who have to be in the way for us all the time?! Now we have to stay in these barrels even longer!"_

\- Consignment of empty barrels from the Woodland Realm. Only, they're not empty, are they, Bard?

 _"I have no idea who this guy is, but I so want to punch him in his face for having us in these barrels longer than needed!"_

From what I can feel from Bard is this person not someone or anyone else from Laketown likes. And his mind is like an open book for me. I don't have to do much to look into his mind.

His name is Alfred, and he works apparently for the Master of Laketown.

He wants to be the towns new leader when the one they have now is dead and what he has for plans as their new leader is so disgusting that I want to throw up.

\- Empty the barrels over the side!

 _"What did I now miss!"_

In the same time, the barrel I am in start to tip over and the fish start to fall out.

 _"Oh no. Not good. Bards disguise for us will be ruined if they let all the fish overboard. I have to do something!"_

\- And when the people hear the Master is dumping fish back in the lake, when the rioting starts, will it be your problem then?

There is a moment of silence and for a second, I think that Bard hasn't convinced Alfred to stop his order.

I close my eyes and just as I start to say the spell to stop the guards, Alfred speak again.

\- Stop!

The fish stop falling just in time. A few more and I would have been seen.

 _"Too close again."_

\- Ever the people's champion, eh, Bard? Protector of the common folk? You might have their favor now, bargeman, but it won't last.

\- Raise the gate!

 _"Oh, thanks the Eldar. We maybe have a chance not get irons around our wrists."_

\- The Master has his eye on you, you'd do well to remember. We knows where you live!

Alfred shouts to Bard as the barge start to move again.

\- It's a small town, Alfred, everyone knows where everyone lives!

I chuckle quietly as I feel the anger that boils inside Alfred.

 _"Now we only have to stay hidden before we can reach that mountain. And if what I saw is to be true, then we will have everyone's eyes on us, and our visit here will be something the whole town will talk about for a long time."_

" _But something is not right with the future. Why is Bofur, Fili, Oin and Kili not with us when we enters Erebor? And why is Balin so angry at Thorin at the hidden door?"_

" _I hope I'm wrong, but I think Thorin will become like his grandfather as soon as that door opens even if he said that it would never happen. I guess I'll find out when times comes."_


	11. Chapter 9

After a long time in the barrels filled with fish, without warning it gets kicked over and I cough as I finally can breathe something else than the smell of fish.

\- Get your hands off me.

Still shaking some fish scales out from my hair I look over at Dwalin and sighs in anger when I see that Bard raises his hands in surrender and walks away from Dwalin's barrel without kicking it.

 _"You should have kicked it over anyway, Bard. Just because I wanted to see Dwalin's reaction."_

\- You alright?

I turn around and lock eyes with Kili's concern and hurt ones.

He is leaning heavily onto his barrel and I smile at him quickly before I shake my head again.

\- Yea, I'm fine. I just want this bloody fish scale out of my hair. How about you? You don't seem so good.

Kili makes a grunting noise as he tries to stand up straight, but he quickly gives up as he feels the pain from the leg when he gives it too much pressure.

\- I'm not so great as I want to be. But I am going to be with you when we walk into the halls of our ancestors.

Kili's determination makes me laugh and he smiles back at me.

 _~ It's not so often that I see you laugh these days._

 _~ Can it be for that I have not gotten anything to laugh at? And also, for that you haven't been so funny or anyone else anymore? It feels like that the closer we get to Erebor. The more different everyone becomes._

 _~ I guess it is because of that we get more excited the closer we get. But I can try to get more funnier if you want that?_

 _~ I rather want my brother not some guy that is trying to be funny._

 _~ Alright. But I rather want my sister than the one you are now._

 _~ I'll try to find her. Tell me if you see her somewhere._

 _~ I see her right now._

I smile at Kili as I walk over to him and help him up.

\- Come on. Lean on me when the pain becomes too strong, alright?

Kili nods his head and we both walk after Bard and the others from the barge and through the busy streets of Laketown.

\- What is this place?

Bilbo asks in shock.

\- This, Master Baggins, is the world of Men.

Thorin says as he walks past him and the rest of us follows in a line.

Everywhere I look, I am met with the same expression.

Shock and surprise.

 _"Is this the first time they see some Dwarves?"_

I have crouched down a bit, so I don't get so much attention to me. It also helps Kili to walk quick but not give his leg too much pressure.

\- Da! Our house, it's being watched.

A younger variation of Bard runs up to us and for a quick second he stares at us in surprise and shock. Then he look back at his father.

Bard makes an irritated huff as he looks around us.

 _"What is he looking for?"_

\- There! Bard!

 _"Ah, them."_

Some feet away from us is some guards that walks over to Bard.

\- Hide!

Thorin whispers and we run our separated ways.

Kili and I runs past a woman with a basket full of fish. She grabs my arms and I almost falls to the ground because of it.

\- Hide there.

The woman says as she points to one of the stands that is full of fishes as well.

Kili gives me a worried glance as we run to the stand with the woman right behind us.

 _~ Can we trust her?_

 _~ No, but I chose to do that right now._

The woman lifts open the fabric that is over the table and we crawl under.

\- Ouch!

 _~ Do you want to give away our hiding spot right away?_

 _~ No, but I don't want my leg to hurt!_

 _~ That I can understand. You know how I was when my arm was injured. I can't do anything to your leg now._

Just then can the rattled from the armors be heard right outside our hiding place.

Kili takes my hand and squeezes it really quick as he feels my body shivers. I look at him and lean my head onto his forehead and smiles.

After some seconds, the rattled can be heard again and the woman lifts the fabric again and show us that we can come out.

When we come out, I give the woman a kind smile and thanks her for helping us hiding from the guards.

The woman smiles back and nods her head.

\- We help those who needs help.

She says as we walk away from her and back to Bard.

Bard looks at us then he looks at the rest of the company. He looks at Thorin and Thorin nods his head.

 _"They must have come up with a plan. But when could they have come up with that?"_

\- Come on.

Thorin says as he walks away.

The rest of us follows without hesitation.

But for some reason, I look back and sees that Bard and his son walks another way.

Sighing quietly to myself, I look at Thorin and shake my head.

* * *

After that we have walked for a long time. Thorin stops and without hesitation jumps into the freezing water.

 _"Have he gone mad?"_

We all look at each other with confused eyes.

\- Come on. There is only one way to find out why he jumped into the water.

I say with a laugh as I jump into the water myself.

The cold water takes the breath away and I have to force away the need to take a deep breath underwater.

 _"Alright. Where is my crazy uncle?"_

Right then a light tap on my shoulder makes me look at my right and there he is.

He waves with his hand that I should follow him.

When I swim after him, he points to the underside of a bout some further away.

* * *

After that everyone else has jumped into the water and has swum over to me, and I have taken some more air. Dwalin, who just had gotten some new air, looks up to the boat with confused eyes. He swims up and I follow him, and I quickly realize where he is heading.

 _"Yeah. Of course, it must be the toilet that we have to go through to get out from this water."_

With some help from Bard's son, whose name is Bain, ( _I asked! I did not look in his mind._ ) I walk up the stairs after Dwalin and sees a young woman staring at us in shock.

\- Da… Why are there Dwarves climbing out from our toilet?

\- Will they bring us luck?

Another girl asks in wonder.

I laugh at her and she look at me with wonder in her eyes.

\- I don't know if we will bring you luck.

I say as she walks over to me after she have gotten some towel from her father and gives one to me.

\- Thank you.

I say with a smile.

She smiles back at me and walks over to Bilbo.

\- You are not a Dwarf, are you?

Someone whispers beside me.

When I look, I smile when I see Bard's son kneeling beside me.

\- No, I'm not.

I say as I wrap the towel closer to me.

\- I could almost understand that.

He says as he gives me some bread and water.

I smile at him as I take the bread and water, then I give him a confused look when I realized what he said.

\- What do you mean?

\- You don't look like them. And also, you don't have a beard.

\- Bain!

The oldest of the two girls says as she slaps Bain on his shoulder. But Bain only laugh.

\- Sorry Sigrid. But it is true.

Bain says as he continues to laugh.

Sigrid gives him an angry glance before she walks over to me and gives me an apologizing look.

\- I'm so sorry for my brother's behavior.

She says as she kneels down on my left.

\- If you think that his behavior is bad, then you haven't seen the behavior I am surrounded with.

I say with a nod towards Bombur, who is laying heavily onto Bofur, sleeping. Bofur tries to push him away but Bombur only falls even closer to him and Bofur gives up and crosses his arms, mumbling in Khuzdul about someone needs to stop eating like a Mountain Troll.

I chuckle lightly and look back at Sigrid, who look at the two brothers with a flabbergasted look.

\- Don't worry, they can behave sometimes.

I say with a chuckle.

Sigrid looks at me with wide eyes and I smile at her.

She blinks a few times before she manages to pull herself together. She stands up and mumbles something about washing the dishes or something and walks away.

\- If you're not a Dwarf. What are you then?

The youngest of the three kids asks with wide eyes. These eyes are full of wonder and amazement.

\- Do you really want to know?

I ask with a joyful smile.

The little girl nod her head and smile a very big smile.

She then walks closer to me and Bain and sits down beside Bain, who places an arm around her.

\- Do you want to guess what I am first?

\- No, tell us.

Bain says after he has given his sister a quick glance.

\- Wow, you where boring. Oh well, I'm a Mind-Changer.

Both of them widen their eyes and stare at me with mixed expression. Bain has surprise and his sister is full of joy and excitement.

\- A… A Mind-Changer?

Bain mumbles in shock and awe.

I nod my head with a smile as Bain and his sister get up and walks even closer to me.

\- We have a Mind-Changer in our house.

The girl squeals in excitement.

I smile at her and she laughs while she jumps with joy.

\- Tilda! Come and help me, please!

Sigrid shouts from the dishes.

Tilda sighs and roll her eyes as she walks over to Sigrid.

Bain follows her with his eyes for a few seconds before he looks at me again.

\- Why haven't we heard about you?

\- I don't know. I guess that everyone assumed that I died with the rest of my kin. And now when I have showed myself again, everyone react the same. Why aren't you dead? Why are you with Dwarves? Well, they are my family, and they took care of me when I had no one.

I say in a low voice, with my eyes locked on the fireplace.

Bain is quiet for a time before he places his hand on my shoulder. I give him a confused and questioned look.

\- You are always welcomed to our family as a friend. No matter what you are. Mother always talked about your kin and Tilda has always dreamed about meeting one.

I smile at him and glance over at Tilda and Sigrid.

Tilda looks up from her plate and smiles when she sees that I am looking at her. I smile back then I look back at Bain.

\- Thank you.

Bain smiles and nod his head.

\- Had the aim of Men been true that day, much would have been different.

Thorin says.

I look at him with a wondering look. Then I realize that he have told Bilbo about when Smaug attacked.

 _"They must have the Wind-Lance here somewhere. That must have been the reason for the storytelling."_

\- You speak as if you were there.

Bard says as he walks towards Thorin.

\- All Dwarves know the tale.

 _"But you were still there Thorin."_

\- Then you would know that Girion hit the Dragon. He loosened a scale under the left wing. One more shot and he would have killed the beast.

Bain says as he places his hands on my chair and give Thorin an angry glance.

Dwalin laughs and places one hand on Bain.

\- That's a fairy story, lad. Nothing more.

 _"How do you know that Dwalin? Did you see it?"_

\- You took our money. Where are the weapons?

\- Wait here.

\- Where else should we go?

I mumble as Bard walks away.


	12. Chapter 10 Part 1

\- It's a joke!

Bofur says in disappointment as he throws whatever weird weapon Bard has given to us.

\- You will not find better weapon outside the Towns weaponry.

Bard says.

I sigh and shake my head and walk over to where I have been sitting before.

I sit down with a sigh and look at the fireplace.

\- Maybe we should just take this.

" _Balin?"_

I stop using my eyes and focus more on my ears.

Balin is trying to tell Thorin that he is having too much in his head and that he should accept what he is offered from Bard. But Thorin is too much stubborn to see the kind stuff he is offered, and he is thinking about to sneak into the weaponry.

" _Oh, uncle. Please wake up. This is not you, this is your grandfather. And you said that you wouldn't become like him."_

Balin comes over to me after a few seconds and when he sits down, he looks really sad and depressed. I place my hand on his shoulder and he look at me and I can see that he is on the verge of tears.

\- Don't worry Balin. Uncle only wants to reach that mountain now. He's maybe worried that we won't reach it in time.

I say in a low voice. Just in case Bard would be listening.

Balin look at me and some tears falls down his face. I wipe them away and smiles.

Balin smiles back. But the smile has no happiness or anything.

\- Sorry for interrupting but, Sigrid wonders if you can help us with something. I'm not interrupting, am I?

Tilda asks as she walks up to me and Balin.

She looks at me and Balin and then back at me.

I look at Balin and he sighs but nod his head.

\- I can help you.

I say and squeeze Balin's shoulder before I stand up.

 _~ Stay by Thorin's side. He might need you and your calmness._

Balin sighs again but nods as I walk after Tilda.

* * *

Sigrid smiles when she sees me coming with Tilda.

\- What do you need help with Sigrid?

I ask when I walk up to her.

\- Can you help me with the laundry?

She asks.

" _She needed help with that?"_

\- That's it? You don't need help with anything else?

Sigrid shakes her head.

 _\- (Sigh)_ Alright. I can help you.

\- Thank you.

* * *

After some time, I hang up a dress that I guess is Tilda's.

\- How many dresses doesn't you two have?

I ask when I lift up an exact copy of the one, I just hanged up.

\- Oh, we only have three, but they look the same, so it looks more than what it is.

Sigrid says as she hangs up a shirt that belongs to Bain.

\- I don't think my sister or brother has asked you what your name is?

\- My name is Ratcha Reynheart. But I don't think I need to say what I am. I guess you heard when I told your siblings.

\- What? Reynheart? Did you say Reynheart?

\- Yes. Why are you reacting like that?

\- Father had a woman here whose name was Reynheart.

" _Mother?"_

My legs bend underneath me, and I fall down on my knees.

" _Mother has been here?"_

\- Ratcha? Are you alright?

Sigrid asks as she walks over to me and places her hands on my shoulders.

\- Did this woman tell you what her first name was?

\- She said that it was Relitch. What's the problem?

\- The woman that was here. That was my mother. I haven't seen her since Smaug attacked. She ran into the woods and I haven't seen or heard anything from her. And now you're telling me that she has been here.

Sigrid puts away the shirt she has been holding and kneels down beside me. I look at her with tears in my eyes.

\- When was the last time she was here?

I ask in a whisper.

Sigrid makes a thinking face as she tries to remember.

\- I think it was for three days ago. She hasn't mention anything about having a family when I was around. She said that she is alone.

" _Why would she say that? Is it something she is trying to hide from the world?"_

\- Did she say that she was a Mind-Changer?

\- Yes. She taught us how to close our minds incase we would meet someone who could read our minds.

\- That can explain why your father's mind was closed when I met him. But why did Tilda and Bain react like they did when I said that I was a Mind-Changer?

\- Well, Relitch did say that she saw her kin get killed right in front of her eyes. They didn't think that they would meet one more.

\- Well, I can say this. She did not see our kin get killed in front of her eyes. She ran away when Smaug attacked. My father and I ran to Erebor to help. When that happened, there were around as many as you are here in Lake-Town. The rest got killed by Orcs or other things. Some of us followed the Dwarves of Erebor on their journey to find a new home. Smaug destroyed our houses too.

By now are my tears streaming down my face and Sigrid wraps her arms around me and without saying a word, she start to stroke my hair and I start to sob.

\- It's alright Ratcha. I shouldn't have said anything.

\- Aye, you should. If I ever find my mother, it's good to know that she is alright and that nothing is wrong more than the fact she hasn't done anything to see if her family is alright. She did her own conclusion that she is the only one alive. She didn't try to find us.

\- She might have her reason for doing that.

Bard suddenly says.

\- Da!

Sigrid shouts as she look up in surprise.

There in front of us is Bard standing with the shirt Sigrid has been holding before.

Bard walks over to me and gives Sigrid the shirt. She takes the shirt and walks away from us.

I look at Bard as he kneels down in front of me.

\- For how long has she been here?

I ask with the tears in my throat.

\- She has been living under my roof for a long time. She did know that you and your father ran to Erebor. And she felt that your father died. But she didn't feel anything from you. Come inside and I will tell you more. It's not safe to speak about your kin here.

Bard says as he looks around with suspicious eyes. As he stands up, he reaches out his hand to help me up on my feet again.

\- I'll tell Tilda to come out and help you with the rest, Sigrid.

Bard says over his shoulder as he and I walks inside his house again.

* * *

He takes me to a room with a bed where he tells me to sit down on.

I sit down with a sigh and Bard takes a chair and sits down on it after he have closed the door and look at me with sad eyes.

Suddenly, I feel other presences amongst us.

When I _'look'_ I force myself, so my smile won't be too big when I realize that it is father who is standing beside my side of the bed. I haven't asked him to come. He just appeared.

\- So, mother say that she saw me and my father running to Erebor. But she did not follow?

\- Aye. She told me that she wanted to follow you, but her body didn't want to stop. She walked around in that forest for a long time. I can show you what she said.

\- Please don't. I won't be able to hear what she says. I will only see her. Just tell me what you can. I can't stand seeing her and not being able to talk back to her.

Bard nod his head and closes his eyes as he tries to remember.

\- She said some things about your father, but most of the time she was talking about the you and your father, you were the one she would talk about the most. Everything from how you looked like to your personality. She said that you always had something sarcastic or witty to say to your father and herself. You are quick thinking and you listen to everyone that want to talk to you. You always wanted to help those around you that needed help.

I smile at him and nod my head when he opens his eyes again.

\- She also said that she felt that you would become one of the strongest of your kin. She only wished that she could have given you more training, but she didn't have anything more to teach you before that attack.

\- She did teach me the difference between every living thing that lives on Middle-Earth. Everything from their weapons to their ways of speaking. She wouldn't tell me why she thought me that. But I know now why she was so strict with me learning all those things.

Bard gives me a questioned look, but I shake my head.

\- I won't tell you everything, for it would take too long. But you can see on the weapon who or what it is that is attacking you.

Bard nods his head and smiles quickly.

\- She didn't tell me more about you after she had said that she felt your father die. She did say that when she tried to feel anything from you, she didn't feel anything. She mumble something about that you had closed yourself from her.

I make a confused face and Bard tilt his head with the same look.

\- I know for a fact that I haven't closed myself. It was mother who did. She cut the link she and I shared before she ran away. And father told me she did the same to him, so it's very strange that she could felt father died. The more your telling me, the more confused I get over her decision with running away. I have more questions to her now than what I had before. And what's even more strange is the fact that it does not sound like my mother. Nothing of what you said sounds like her.

\- If you don't believe me, then take a look for yourself and see with your own eyes that it is Relitch.

With a sigh, I close my eyes and tries to calm down my anger. When I open my eyes again, I nod my head towards Bard with confident eyes.

I want to believe him, but I can't believe him before I can see mother for myself.

Bard nod his head and closes his eyes.

I do the same and reaches out towards him.

Then suddenly, I see mother right in front of my eyes. She doesn't say anything, she just smiles at something Bard has says. Sigrid is in the background, trying to get her two very tired siblings to go to bed before they fall asleep standing up.

Mother has changed so much since I saw her. Her hair has gotten longer, she used to have short hair, so it wasn't in her face when she chases me around the house in one of our tickle games. She has colored it as well. Instead of her hazelnut brown, her hair is now as dark as the night. Her skin has also gotten a paler color as well. She look like the night in a human form. She is thinner than before but look like being a lot stronger as well. But the ocean blue eyes is the same as the one I grow up to adore and worship. It is my mother. That's no question in that. The only question is: Why has she changes so much?

When I open my eyes again, I smile weakly and nod my head as a thank you. Bard does the same and stands up.

\- Did she say if she would come back?

Bard look at me and shake his head slowly.

\- She never did. She could just appear on our doorstep one day. Sometimes there would be some wound on her body that Sigrid had to look over and take care of. Last time she was here had she been gone for a year. She said something about not returning after this time. Don't have your hopes up for seeing her here.

With a sigh I look down on my lap and nod my head. Bard smile before he walks out the bedroom. A single tear left his eyes before he walked out of the room and closed the door.

I sigh again and I feel a light weight on my right shoulder. I smile a weak smile as I look up at father. He smiles back and sit down beside me.

 _~ Why would she lye about us? Why would she say that both of us die?_

I ask as I rest my head on his shoulder. If anyone would come in now, they would wonder what I am doing.

 _~ I have no idea why she have become like this, Ratcha. The only thing I can think of is that she have suffer memory loss and she must have thought that when she felt that I died and she didn't feel anything from you, she must have thought that you died as well. That's the only thing I can think of._

 _~ But still why? She has given me more questions than I had before._

Suddenly, a light knock from the door can be heard.

I look up in shock and I feel father places his hand on my shoulder.

\- Ratcha?

Fili's voice comes from the other side of the door.

With a quiet laugh, I call for Fili to come inside.

He walks in and closes the door right behind him. He look at me with fright and worry.

\- What's the matter brother? Something wrong?

Without saying a word, he walks over to me with two big steps and sits down on my left side and places his arms around me in a tight hug.

\- Everything is fine with me Ratcha. But when that bargeman came in with you and walked into this room, we got worried over you. You haven't been this sad since Thorin came with you that day for 60 years ago. You remember that day?

Fili whispers with his brother eyes as I call them. He has this sadness but also this love that only a brother can have for his sister.

\- How can I forget? That day everything that was gone for me was given back to me. How can I possibly forget that then?

I say as I lean onto Fili's shoulder with a smile on my face as the memory comes back.


	13. Chapter 10 Part 2

**\- Brother! You're back!**

 **Thorin's sister shouts from the house.**

 **She runs towards us with a child with raven black hair, much like Thorin's hair color, around her waist.**

 **At the door stands another kid who looks like to be in his teen. But knowing how the aging part of a Dwarf is, I wouldn't be surprised if he already are around 20 or maybe 30-40.**

 **Thorin smiles as he helps me down of the pony and open his arms for his sister to crash into.**

 **\- Dis. By Durin's beard am I happy to see you again. Hello sister-son. You have become taller since last time.**

 **Thorin says as he ruffles the kid in his raven hair. The kid squeals with delight and hides his head into his mother's neck.**

 **Dis smiles as she places a kiss on the top of her child's head.**

 **Her smile disappears when she sees me. She kneels down and tap her son on his shoulder, so he has to look at her.**

 **\- Go to your bother. Tell him that he and you can take some of your favorite cookies and some milk to your uncle and his friends. Leave it on the table in the terrace, alright?**

 **The kid nods his head and rushes back to the house where his brother waits.**

 **When the door has closed behind them, Dis turn her attention back to me and her brother.**

 **\- Hi little one. Don't be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you.**

 **I have hide behind Thorin during their little reunion and now I look up at Thorin with questioned eyes. He nods his head with a smile, and I walk over to his sister slowly. My leg has not fully healed so I limp over to her and stops two steps away from her, unsure if I should walk over to her or not.**

 **\- It's okay, Ratcha. You can trust her. She is my sister after all.**

 **Thorin whispers right behind me.**

 **Dis reach out her arms with a loveable smile and I walk the few steps left into her hug. She strokes my hair slowly and I relax a little in her embrace.**

 **\- You have been through so much. I can't begin to understand how much pain you have felt when you ran away. I'm so sorry for the loss of your family, Ratcha. You mother and I were close friends before my grandfather got mad.**

 **Dis says softly into my ear and I start to sob. The numb feeling when father got killed and the cold shower feeling when Thorin told me gets mixed together as I cry into Dis neck.**

 **Thorin's pony makes an annoyed sound and we jump in surprise. Then of course we start to laugh.**

 **\- Come Ratcha. I don't know when you eat the last time.**

 **Dis says as she reach out her hand which I take with a shy smile.**

* * *

 **When we reach the house, Dis's two children comes out with a plate full of cookies and some milk in a kettle. They places the things on a table and look at their mother with questioned eyes.**

 **\- Thank you, Fili and Kili. But I think that your uncle's friends wants something else to drink then milk.**

 **\- I told you so, Fili.**

 **The raven black haired boy shouts to his brother Fili.**

 **Fili look at his mother and then at his brother. He rolls his eyes and with a sigh walks inside the house again.**

 **In the meantime, the rest of us sits down around the table. Kili sits down beside me and reach out his hand.**

 **\- I'm Kili. My brother's name is Fili and he's the oldest of the two of us. What's your name and how old are you?**

 **Kili's eager makes me chuckle lightly as I take his hand to shake. His hand shake is a strong and confident one.**

 **\- My name is Ratcha. I'm 5 years.**

 **\- I thought your kin aged faster than that. You look like a 5 year old.**

 **\- Kili! Watch your tongue!**

 **His mother says sharply, making both me and Kili to flinch.**

 **\- Sorry mother.**

 **Kili mumbles into his lap, just as Fili comes out with a kettle with what I guess is alcohol.**

 **\- But what he says is true. My kin does age faster than most other races. I'm not 5, I'm 55 soon to be 56 but that's another thing. We age fast on the inside but not on the outside. Which can have it's good and bad.**

 **The looks I get from Dis and her children makes me look down on my lap with embarrassment.**

 **Well, that's until Bofur starts to laugh.**

 **\- Oh, Durin. Your faces is the greatest reaction I could have hoped to see.**

 **He says between laughter and I look up at him with a smile, and soon enough has Dwalin, Oin and Thorin start to laugh too.**

 **Dis cover her mouth with her hand while Fili shakes his head with a smile, Kili on the other hand, he has this big smile and he is bouncing up and down beside me with joy.**

 **\- But you're still younger than us. I'm 68 and Fili is 79.**

 _ **"Malnta, that's old. But mother did tell me that there where races that aged faster than us."**_

* * *

 **\- Boys, why don't you two take Ratcha here on a little tour around our house? My brother wanted to speak with me alone.**

 **Dis says.**

 **I look up at her in shock with a cookie half way in my mouth. I then look at Fili and Kili with a questioned look while I start to get excited.**

 **Kili nods his head and takes my hand as I finish the cookie I am eating.**

 **\- Here's the kitchen, in there is the living room. Mother's bedroom is here. And upstairs is mine and Kili's bedroom. Come and look.**

 **Fili says as he motion with his hand for me to follow him and Kili upstairs.**

 **With some struggle with my broken leg and some help from Kili, I manage to get up the stairs.**

 **After that I have seen the two bedrooms, we walk out to the others again.**

 **I have no idea why Dis told them to give me that tour, but I think I know why.**

 **\- That was quick. Oh well, who am I to tell how long it will take?**

 **Dis says with a sigh.**

 **Bofur, Dwalin and Oin has taken their leaves. (** _ **"They couldn't have waited so I could have said goodbye and thanked them for being there for me?"**_ **) So, it's only Thorin and Dis who is left.**

 **\- Ratcha, dear. I'm sorry but I have to ask. What are you going to do now? Where have you thought to live?**

 **Dis says while she shows Fili and Kili to leave us alone.**

 **\- I have no idea. I have lost everything. I don't have a family or a home anymore.**

 **I say as I look down onto my feet with tears forming in my eyes.**

 **Thorin walks over to me and places his arms around my shoulders.**

 **\- That's not true, Ratcha.**

 **Dis says from her place at the table.**

 **I look up in shock and confusion.**

 **\- What do you mean?**

 **\- My sister has agreed to take you as her own. You have a new family, if you want that?**

 **I squeal in happiness as I throw myself onto Thorin. He laughs as he wraps his arms around me in a tight hug.**

 **Dis comes over to us and I throw myself onto her as well. She laughs and I hug her tightly as tears falls down my face. Tears of joy and what I guess, relief.**

 **\- I'll take that as a yes, aye?**

 **Dis says with the laugh being heard through her voice as I take a step back from her. She has one hand placed on my back to help me keep my balance.**

 **I nod my head and she smiles a motherly smile at me.**

 **\- Thank you.**

 **I whisper as I hug her again.**

 **\- Thank you for taking care of me.**

 **Dis smiles and kisses my forehead.**

 **\- You don't have to thank me child. Any child that need a family deserves to have one.**

 **She says with a soft voice.**

 **I smile at her and wipe away some tears with the back of my hand.**

* * *

\- Do you remember how you and Kili reacted when Dis told you that I was your younger sister? You tried really hard not to show your happiness, but you failed harder. Kili hugged me so tightly that I thought that my ribs would break.

I say with a chuckle.

Fili laughs as well and places his forehead on mine.

\- But why did you cry now, Ratc?

Sighing, I lay my head onto his shoulder and tells him what Sigrid and Bard just told me.

\- Your joking? Right?

Fili says in shock.

\- Unfortunately, I'm not. I really wish I could say that it was a joke, but I can't.

I say as I shake my head.

\- By Durin. And all this time you wondered what happened with her. I can't understand the feeling you must be feeling right now Ratc. Being so close but still being so far away.

\- You know. If you were trying to comfort me, I can tell you that you're not doing it well. You only made me more miserable.

Fili growl angrily at himself as he shakes his head.

\- Sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out like that.

\- I know. But thank you anyway brother.

I say with a smile.

Fili smile as well. Then his face gets a more concern look.

\- Why do you still have your knife? You promised you would tell me.

\- Aye, I did. Well, you know how mother reacted the first time she took my knife?

Fili nods as he makes a weird grimace.

\- Well, somewhere around that time. I did something with my knife, and it started to hurt me instead of the one who took it without asking. Throughout the beginning of this quest it has done that. Well, that's until we got captured by the Wood Elves and my wound almost took my life. Either it was father who did it or it was the Elf who healed me, anyway, when I woke up in the cell with Kili, my knife started to hurt the one who took it. I wouldn't have known if Kili hadn't jerked the knife out from my hand and gotten a zigzag scar in his hand because of it. But that scar is not there on his hand and I guess that when my knife started to hurt to hold, they decided not to take it. I really wished that I knew how to make that spell so you wouldn't be without any weapon.

\- We won't be without weapon for long.

\- What are you talking about?

I ask as I look at Fili with confused eyes.

\- We're going to that weaponry tonight. Thorin's words, not mine.

\- But we… ( _sigh_ ) I guess I don't have much to say about it right?

\- Oh, aye you do. You can decide if you don't want to come. But have in mind that uncle won't let you follow us to Erebor.

\- Would you still follow him if I decided to stay here?

\- No, I belong with you and if you decide to stay here. Then so will I. And I know that Kili also will.

\- You would do that? But…

\- Shh. You know very well that no matter what you say, will neither Kili nor I change our minds.

Smiling, I nod my head and Fili places his forehead on mine again.

\- I'll still come. If I know uncle right, you will head straight towards that mountain as soon as you have those weapons.

Fili smiles and stand up.

I stand up as well and follow him out from the bedroom.

Before I close the door, I catch a glimpse of father.

He smiles at me and bow his head as he taught me to do when introduced to royalty.

I smile at him and closes the door.

* * *

Malnta= Oh My God!


	14. Chapter 11

\- I can handle this.

Kili says with a nod towards Thorin.

After that Fili came into the room and I decided to follow them to the weaponry, I had notice that Kili had begun to look even worst since he got hit by the arrow. But I'm the only one to see that apparently. When I asked Ori about it, he said he hadn't seen anything different with Kili.

Oh well. When we came to the weaponry, Kili's limping got worst and it took some time (and some help from me) for him to climb up to the window so he could get inside.

So, now when we are gathering the weapons we'll need for the journey, Kili has been chosen to carry all the weapons.

Thorin gives him one doubtful look before he places the sword onto the pile of weapons Kili is carrying. I'm also on carrying duty and when I walk down the stairs, I only manage to reach the bottom before Kili comes stumbling down and both of us crashes into this big mess of bodies and weapons.

\- Aouch! Get off!

I say as I try to get Kili's hair away from my face.

When I finally get his hair away, I get met with the tip of a sword. I look up at Thorin and sees that the rest of them also has the tip of a sword pointed at them.

 _"This went well."_

\- Up with you!

One of the guards says sharply as he grabs my arm and roughly jerks me upwards.

\- Aouch! Hey!

I say as I try to jerk my arm away from him.

But he has an iron grip around my arm. He looks at me with strict eyes. He doesn't say anything when he push me out from the weaponry.

While we walk through the town, we get a lot of attention from the towns people. They follow us with torches, and they talk with loud voice to one another. Wondering why the guards is pushing some Dwarves towards the Master's house.

 _"So, it's to him you are taking us."_

* * *

After that we have walked some more, we reach the house of the Master.

\- What is the meaning of this?!

The Master shouts as he takes on a jacket.

He is so fat, and grotesque and his mind is like an open book, no wait. It's more open than a book. Even if I don't want to, some of his thoughts crosses my mind.

 _"Urk! What the! What is wrong with you?!"_

\- We caught them stealing weapons, sire.

One of the guards says. The voice sounds very familiar.

 _"It's the guy that was after Bard that day we got here."_

\- Ah. Enemies of the state, then.

\- This is a bunch of mercenaries if ever there was, sire.

Alfred says in disgusted tone.

 _"Oh, no."_

I close my eyes and sigh at the same time as Dwalin have had enough of the two disgusting person in front of us.

\- Hold your tongue. You do not know to whom you speak. This is no common criminal, this is Thorin, son of Thrain, son of Thror!

He says as he gestures towards Thorin, who steps forwards with a small smile.

He stands still for some moments, and the murmuring from the group around us grows higher.

I smile and shake my head slowly at the reaction we're getting. Well, it is Thorin who have everyone's attention right now, but all of us is getting some of the attention.

\- We're the Dwarves of Erebor!

Thorin says loud enough for everyone to hear.

Everyone start to whisper even louder in shock and recognition.

\- We have come to reclaim our homeland.

Thorin looks around himself and walks around in a big circle. He looks at everyone in the crowd deep in their eyes with a small smile.

I roll my eyes and crosses my arms with I stand with spread legs. Like I'm some guard or something. Why I stand like this is something I don't know.

\- I remember this town and the great days of old. Fleets of boats lay at harbor, filled with silks and fine gems. This was no forsaken town on a lake! This was the center of all trade in the North!

Thorin says and the crowd nods in agreement.

I also remember how the town looked before Smaug came.

My mother and I would come down here to trade some of our things with some of the silk. One of the things that I trade to myself was this beautiful book with the sigil of my own kin. It has two Eagles facing one another. Above one of them is a bow and arrow. The other one has a flower. Meaning that we have two sides, one fiercely side and one gentle. Why there is two Eagles is something I didn't asked mother nor father about. But I still have the book, I paint some minor things in it, but I mostly write in it. Just so I can look back and remember.

But it was also here that I meet Thorin for the first time. I was here with father looking for a present to mother when we meet them. Thorin treated father like an old friend and he was very kind to me. Two days later Thror wanted my race killed.

Oh, well. I did say that I could hear the Master's thoughts even if I didn't try to hear them, right? Well, I still can. And he have realized that he can use the chaos that we have created to his advantaged.

 _"You're a sick and disgusting creature. Much like the Great Goblin. Maybe you two are related. You both think that you can lead but you can't, and you just use those who lives around you so you can live a life in luxury. Wouldn't surprise me if you have more money than you need, and you are surely asking the towns people for more even if they don't have anything to give you."_

I think while I look at the Master with eyes that could murder.

Meanwhile, Thorin has kept on talking to the audience and he has gotten their attention and he knows it. His mind has switch or something like that. He is talking and thinking like the King he was born to be.

\- Death! That is what you will bring upon us. Dragon-fire and ruin. If you awaken that beast, it will destroy us all.

Bard shouts as he walks forward through the crowd. The Master looks at him with ill-will eyes.

I move to the side so Bard won't step on my feet. He look at me for a quick second. Then he look at Thorin with strict eyes.

\- You can listen to this naysayer, but I promise you this. If we succeed, all will share in the wealth of the mountain.

The crowd sheers in excitement, and I smile at my uncle. He has really taken his role as a leader and King. But I still has a nagging feeling about what this is escalating to. Something is working in the back of uncle's mind that is nothing good. But when I try to see what's happening, uncles mind throws me away.

 _"I don't like this. This is not Thorin. This is someone else."_

\- Now, now, we must not, any of us, be too quick to lay blame.

The Master says as he look at Bard with pity eyes.

\- Let us not forget that it was Girion, Lord of Dale, your ancestor! Who failed to kill the beast.

While he speaks, he points at Bard accusingly and the crowd's upsets voices raises to a clamor.

Bard looks away and Thorin look at him in shock and anger.

 _"So, that's the reason for why I have been thinking that I recognized your face. Girion had the same face expression and hairstyle."_

\- … Arrow after arrow he shot, each one missing its mark.

Alfred says as the crowds screaming reach even higher sounds. And they sounds even more angrier.

Bard looks helplessly around and lock eyes with me.

 _~ Don't! If you even mention what I am, the Master will either have me killed right here in front of the everyone, or he will use me for his disgusting desire. Please, Bard. Let the Master think that I'm a Dwarf._

Bard sighs, but turns around and walks over to Thorin.

 _"Come on, Bard. If you think that you can prevent us from going to that mountain now when we're so closed. You should save your breath instead. There is no way in Valanta that Thorin is going to stop now."_

Thorin says something to Bard and then he turns around to speak to the Master.

\- I speak to the Master of the Men of the Lake. Will you see the prophecy fulfilled? Will you share in the great wealth of our people? What say you?

Everyone is quiet and is looking at the Master with anticipation.

The Master looks around and smiles. He then points at Thorin and with the smudge smile still on his face, he says.

\- I say unto you...

He is quiet before he opens his arms and shouts with delight.

\- Welcome! Welcome and thrice welcome, King under the Mountain!

Everyone sheers and I smile in relief. But my smile disappears when I see Bard's worried and sad expression.

 _~ What is it that has gotten you so afraid over us leaving? Come on, Bard. Tell me, please._

While Thorin faces the audience and he and Bard have shared an angry glance, Bard turns around and look at me.

\- Your King will become as mad as his grandfather. That's what the prophecy of the Line of Durin has said.

Bard whispers to me before he walks away.

 _"What?"_

I look after him and then I look at Thorin with worried eyes.

 _"Maybe what I saw before will come true. If there is a prophecy about the Line of Durin, then there is no other way than what the prophecy have said it will go. Maybe we have started something much bigger than we can handle."_

* * *

Later that evening, the Master has thrown a feast in honor of us.

But as the rest of the company is drinking ale (Bofur) and is having fun, I can't get the feeling of the fear Bard had when the Master took Thorin's side instead of his. Something with what Bard said makes it hard to relax and enjoy the feast.

\- Come on Ratcha! Come and sit with us.

Dori calls from the table not so far away from me.

I smile at him but shake my head.

\- Thank you for the offer Dori. But I'll think I pass.

Dori makes a sad face but says nothing more.

Some of the Men that is around the Master, have looked at me longer than what I like. Some even have been thinking very disturbing things they want to do with me.

 _"If one of them thinks something like that again, or even walks closer to me, I will walk out from this place and hopefully home to Bard."_

I think annoyingly.

It doesn't take long before the next disgusting thought comes to my mind.

When I _"look"_ I get even more angrier when the thought comes from no other than the Master himself.

I stand up and because of the loud noise that is flowing around in the room, no one takes notice of me when I quickly walk out from the feast.

I sigh in relief when the cold air hits me and when the door closes behind me, the quietness is something that I welcome with a happy smile.

 _"Now, where can Bard be living?"_

* * *

After that I have been walking for some time, I still can't seem to find Bard's home.

Suddenly, someone grabs my arm and drags me behind some of the houses.

\- If you fight, you won't see the light of tomorrow.

My capture whispers into my ear as a hand covers my mouth to silent my screams.


	15. Chapter 12

Warning for mention of rape and attempts of suicide.

This chapter is very long, so read at your own risk =).

* * *

I don't remember for how long I tried to get free from my capture. But he is much stronger than I am.

\- You're a feisty little thing. You will be a fun one to destroy.

He says with a sadistic laugh.

 _"No, I won't!"_

I close my eyes and _"collect"_ all my anger and combined them and when I open my eyes again, my body is trembling with rage.

 _~ Ratcha, no!_

Father shouts as he makes himself visible in front of me.

 _~ If you let go of your anger, you will kill yourself in the progress. Keep it together just for a little bit longer. Help is on its way._

Father places his hands on the center of my chest and my anger calms down.

Right then, my capture makes a gurgling sound and his grip on me loosens so I can get free.

I take a few steps away from the guy and when I turn to face my savior my hand is resting on my knife. But I quickly remove my hand and sigh in relief.

\- Bain. Thanks, Mala. You came just in time.

Bain stands with a branch in his hands and is smiling in relief at me.

\- I thought I heard something and when I looked, I grabbed the branch and hit the guy in the head. I didn't killed him, did I!?

\- No, you did not. He is out cold, but I'll gladly put him to eternal sleep.

\- NO! Don't kill him. You don't need to become a murder because some asshile tried to rape you.

Bain has placed the branch on the ground and is now standing with both his hands on my shoulders and looking me deep into my eyes, forcing me to look at him instead of my attacker.

\- But who needs to know that it was a murder?

\- Ratcha, no. I won't let you kill this man. I know that what he did to you is making you want him to pay. I would let you kill him, but! I won't let you do it this time. He will get what he deserves when we tell father. Come now. Let's get away from here before he wakes up.

Bain says as he offers me his hand with a smile.

I look at him, then I look at the person on the ground. I sigh and when I look at Bain again, I smile and takes his hand.

Bain nod and sprints away from the blackout guy, with me laughing behind him.

* * *

\- Da! Where are you?

Bain shouts when he comes inside the house.

The door to the bedroom opens and Bard's head pops out with a questioned look. When he sees me, he raises his eyebrows and walks over to us.

\- Shouldn't you be on that feast with your friends?

Bard asks while Bain leads me to the table.

\- I was there. But when I could hear the Master's disgusting thoughts over what he wanted to do with me, I decided to leave and try to find my way back to you. But I couldn't seem to find it. And then someone grabbed me and tried to rape me. Your son here, came just in time before the guy's pants hit the ground.

I look at Bard and his eyes is filled with rage and he is trembling slightly.

\- Bain. What did this man look like?

Bain tells Bard as much as he can about the man that attacked me. The more he tells, the angrier Bard becomes.

\- ( _Sigh_ ) I'm glad that you could stop him before he got his way with her. You must have put quite a fight. He has killed many innocent young lives for his filthy desires. You need to rest, come. You can sleep in there.

Bard says as he waves with his hand towards the door from where he came from with a fatherly smile.

\- But where will you sleep, Bard?

I ask as I stand up with shaking legs.

Now when the shock and anger has calmed down, the tiredness and realization over what could have happened to me if Bain hadn't showed up when he did, comes over me like a waterfall. I have to use all the strength that I have left to stand up without showing how scared I actually have become.

\- I'll sleep on couch. And don't try to change my mind, Ratcha. I'll get to sleep there any other time. And I also wants you to feel safe after what you have been through.

I open my mouth to protest, but closes it again when his words sinks in.

 _"He wants me to feel safe?"_

 _"He's still mad over me after the event outside the Master's house, but he has chosen to oversee that and focus on my safety instead."_

 _"How can I say no to his offer when he's so quick to forgive me?"_

With a tired sigh, I nod my head towards Bard and smiles a tiny side smile.

Bard smiles again, and when I walk up to him, he places one arm over my shoulder and squeezes it lightly.

The sound of a door that opens makes the three of us look up and I smile my side smile again when I see Sigrid comes out while she rubs her eyes tiredly.

\- What's going… Ratcha? But Da said?

\- Shh, Sigrid. Go back to sleep. I'll explain in the morning.

\- No, I'll help Ratcha. I won't find sleep knowing that Bain had to help her or that she had to do it herself.

Bard laughs quietly while Bain raises his hands with a wide smile. But I look at Sigrid with confused eyes.

Sigrid doesn't say anything, she only takes my hand and gently drags me towards Bard's bedroom.

* * *

Once inside the room, Sigrid motions towards the bed. I sit down, but jumps up again while clasping my hands together over my mouth to stop the scream of pain leave my throat. Sigrid is quickly by my side and wraps her arms around me as tears of pain falls down my face.

In front of my eyes plays the scenes from before over and over again. The reasons for the pain is simply because of the asshile as Bain called him hit me several times with the flat side of his sword over my behind, leaving big bruises everywhere. Every time I tried to get out from his iron grip, he would hit me over my behind or over my back. He tried to break my arm but only managed to get a muscle to snap which I healed by myself. My back feels warm and itchy, so does also the inside of my legs.

\- Is there blood on my back, Sigrid?

I ask with a broken voice from all the tears that is stuck deep down in my throat.

\- Yes, both on your back and your legs. What did happen to you Ratcha? What have gotten you so broken and down?

Sigrid asks quietly while she gently takes of my jacket and places it on a chair close by.

I look at her with tearful eyes and just let her take all my clothes off, so I stand completely naked in front of her. She stares in shock over all the bruises and scars I have over my arms and stomach.

Most of the scare is the results from training sessions not going well, but some of them have I given myself. When I did that, I couldn't seem to feel the pain and that always resulted in that I cut to deep.

But the last time I did anything harmful to myself was for a long time ago, and that ended in with Fili walking into my room catching me right before I hurt myself even more. After that time, neither Fili nor Kili left my side. If I wanted to be in the garden, they would be there as well.

I use my powers to hide the scars during the day, but when I sleep or are the only one awake, they are visible for the whole world.

Now after that father helped me with listen more to my heart and not only on my mind, I haven't become as tired just as quickly, but I still get tired for using that much power.

I look away with shame in my eyes from Sigrid's gaze as she lightly touch one of the scars that she knows no weapon could have given me.

\- I know that it's nothing that I should know, but why have you done this to yourself, Ratcha?

\- I… I felt… ( _sigh_ ) After that I ran away when I had lost everything, I couldn't see any other solution than to end my life so I could be with my parents again. But every time I tried to end it, something made me stop and think it through. I tried every day but with the same result every time. When I was found by Thorin and adopted by his sister, I started to think that I had gotten a second chance. But when none of the Dwarves children accepted me as one of them, and instead used what they had against me. I started to question if I really deserved to have a second chance. And then it started again. But I stop when I was shown that there was more persons who cared about me than it was who hated me. I haven't done anything harmful towards myself ever since. Because I have been reminded constantly that there is persons around me who loves me for who I am and not for what I am.

I whisper with a broken voice.

Sigrid places her hand under my chin and gently moves my head, so I look at her. She smile lovely at me and I can't do anything else than to do the same.

\- No matter what you think right now about yourself. I think that you are more powerful and strong than you think. I can't get you to stop thinking those thoughts because I know myself how hard it is, when your mind have decided that you are useless for something, you can't stop thinking like that. I won't try to get you to stop thinking like that for you must decide that yourself before anyone can help you. I'll be right back, try to sit down in the meantime, and please, try not to hurt yourself.

I look at Sigrid in shock with my mouth slightly open. Sigrid smiles slightly and wipes away a tear that falls down my face. She then turns around and walks out from the room.

Still with the shocked expression on my face, I sit down. Only to jump up while cursing my own stupidity for sitting down too fast. The next try becomes more success full and I sit down with my head in my hands.

 _"How can someone as kind and beautiful as Sigrid know about the struggle to stop thinking something that you know is not right?"_

" _Wait? Did I just say that Sigrid was beautiful?"_

\- Oh, Mala. I have fallen in love with Sigrid.

I mumble in the same time as the door opens again.

Sigrid is holding a bucket with water in one hand, the other one is holding some towels. She kicks the door close with her foot while she gives me a sisterly smile. I smile back but turn it into a grimace of pain when I move too much for me behind to like it.

\- I know that it hurts. But can you try to move so your back is facing me?

Sigrid ask while she puts down the bucket with water on the ground beside the bed.

The towels flops down onto the bed while I move as careful as I can so I'm facing the wall and she has full access to my back.

\- Thank you. Now, try to sit still. I'll try to be as gentle as I can.

\- Do what you must. If it hurt, it will only mean that I still have my feeling left.

\- Ratcha! I don't have time for your sarcastic humor.

Sigrid says, but she can't hide the laugh in her voice.

I chuckle lightly, but the chuckle turns into a hiss when the wet towel touches my bloody and sore back.

I grab the sheets in an effort to not move, while I close my eyes to prevent the tears to fall.

Sigrid is quiet while she focus on getting the worst of the blood away from my back. When she is done, she sighs tiredly and tosses the bloody towel onto the floor.

She move my head so she can see that everything is alright with me before she takes the other towel and drench it in the bucket, then she gently dabs the towel over my legs, and I once again hiss in pain and clutches the bedsheets.

When she have gotten the worst part of the blood gone from my legs and that towel is laying by the other on the floor, Sigrid sits down beside me while she offers me another towel to wrap around myself. I take it with a side smile and wraps the towel carefully over my back with a sigh.

\- Thank you, Sigrid. You didn't need to do that.

I whispers tiredly with a smile.

Sigrid returns the smile before she says.

\- But I couldn't let you go to bed looking like that. And I don't think that you would have been comfortable with standing naked in front of Bain, now would you?

\- ( _Hah_ ) No, you're right. I would not be comfortable standing naked in front of your brother. I wasn't comfortable standing naked in front of you. But I didn't have a choice, right?

\- No, you did not. You must be really tired after what you have been through.

As on command, I yawn really big and laugh.

\- Yea, I'm really tired.

Sigrid laughs quietly, then she stands up from the bed and helps me to do the same.

\- You can still have your undergarments but your trousers and shirt as well as your jacket needs to be cleaned of the worst of the blood stain.

Sigrid says while she offers me the clothes.

I take them with a smile and quickly takes them on.

\- Careful! You'll only opens the wounds again if you are too hasty.

Sigrid says with raised hands.

I give her a quick look before continuing taking on the clothes, but not as fast as before.

When I have the clothes on, and I'm lying under the blanket, Sigrid looks at me with a sad smile.

\- What?

I ask after that she has been looking at me without saying a word.

\- I'm just wondering why father was so angry at you and those you came here with. He has never been this mad.

\- ( _Sigh_ ) I am not the one to tell you why, Sigrid. That's something your father has to tell you himself.

Sigrid nods her head with a smile. She then walks out of the room and closes the door while saying goodnight.

\- Goodnight, I guess.

I mumble while I try to lay more comfortable without causing more pain.

It doesn't take long after before I fall asleep, and the nightmares begins.

* * *

When I wake up, I'm hyperventilating and sweating. But I don't have any pain on my back nor on my legs.

" _What was I dreaming? And why is there no pain?"_

I try to remember the dream, but it hides deep in my mind where I can't reach it.

Muttering under my breath, I tosses the blanked aside.

And widens my eyes when the scars on my legs from yesterday is gone, not a single one of them is left. It's like it never have happened.

 _"What? I knew I could heal a lot of wounds, but not that many and not that good."_

" _Wait a minute. What is that sound?"_

\- Oh, no! That's the time!

I jump out of the bed, but stops when I can't seem to find my clothes.

 _"Bugger! Did Sigrid take my clothes with her when she left yesterday?"_

Just then the door opens and Bain's head pops inside.

He quickly looks away when he sees my half naked body. But he walks in and, without looking in my direction, reaches in my newly cleaned clothes.

\- Here is your clothes. But I shouldn't hurry if I where you. When that bell chimes, you won't get there in time. And I don't think that Sigrid would let you leave before she has looked you over. She was not pleased when Da told her why you were covered in blood.

I take the clothes with a sad smile and thanks Bain for giving me the clothes and telling me that. He smiles, still not looking at me, then he turns around and quickly walks towards the door.

\- Wait! Can you wait some seconds? It won't take long to get my clothes on.

Bain stops in his tracks and sighs.

\- Alright. Just be quick.

I chuckle lightly but quickly puts on my clothes.

It feels wonderful to have cleaned fabric on my skin after not having it for a long time.

When I have strapped my knife around my hip, I walk over to Bain and tap him on his shoulder.

\- I'm ready to go.

Bain jumps in surprise and turns to look at me.

\- That was quick.

\- Well, you told me to be that. Right?

\- Yea, yea. Come on now.

Bain says while waving his hand like he is waving the statement away. Then he walks out of the room with me right behind him.

\- Ratcha! So, it was true what Sigrid said. You did come back!

Tilda screams in happiness as she rush towards me.

I laugh when she jumps up into my hug with a squeal of happiness and joy. I smile as I bury my face into her neck while I spin around making her squeal in joy and surprise.

\- Ratcha! Put her down right now! You only opens the wound up again.

Sigrid says worriedly from the sink where she is taking care of some plates.

I smile at her while I put Tilda down on the ground again.

\- No need to be worried, Sigrid. I think that if you would look on my back, you wouldn't find a single of the wounds that I had when I came. I couldn't seem to find any of them that I should have on my legs.

Sigrid looks at me with suspicion while she places the plate down with the ones she is finished with, then she walks over to me and shows me to turn around.

With a smile, I do. And when I feel the back of the shirt folds up and I hear Sigrid's gasp of shock, I laugh while I shake my head.

\- Stop using your powers Ratcha.

\- I'm not using my powers, I promise. Look, if you let down the shirt and let me turn around again, I can show you that I'm not using my powers.

Sigrid lets go of my shirt, and I spins around while I folds up the sleeve to show my arm.

\- See, my arm looks completely normal. But now it don't.

I say as I make my scars visible for all of them.

Sigrid gives me one suspicious glance, and with a smile, I turn around so she can check my back once more.

When she finds it just like before, she makes a grunting noise.

 _"She still thinks that I'm using my powers."_

\- Sigrid. Please. I am telling the truth, I am not using my powers to hide anything for you. Ask Bain. He saw my legs before he looked away.

Bain makes a choking sound but nod his head when Sigrid gives him a questioned look.

\- I did see her legs but nothing more. But I didn't saw any scars on her legs.

\- ( _Sigh_ ) I guess I need to trust you then.

\- Isn't that what I have said the whole time?

I ask with a smile.

Sigrid opens her mouth to answer, but closes it when loud knocks comes from the front door. Bard, who is standing closes, opens it and I catch a glimpse of Fili's golden locks.

 _"Fili! Wait a minute? Why is he here? Shouldn't he be on the way to Erebor with the others?"_

I walk closer to the door to try to understand why Fili is here and not with uncle.

\- No, I'm done with Dwarfs, go away.

\- No, no, no! No one will help us; Kili's sick. He's very sick.

\- Oh, no.

Bard looks over his shoulder and smiles while he steps away from the door.

The shock and relief that is shown so clearly in Bofur's and the others faces puts a smile on my face.

\- Ratcha!

Fili screams while Bofur and Oin smiles in relief.

Kili tries to smile but that turns into a grimace of pain.

Bofur wasn't lying when he said that Kili was very sick. His skin is pale, and he has dark rings under his eyes. His usually glimmer in his eyes is gone. Just seeing the pain in his eyes and how bad he is makes me terrified and worried.

I walk out from the house while I look at Kili with worried eyes.

He tries to smile again but the pain makes it hard for him to seem happy for a longer time. But the pain in his eyes gets mixed with happiness.

Bofur is the quickest to hug me, and he hugs me very tightly. I can feel the relief and happiness he has over seeing me alive.

I hug him as tightly back with a smile and as soon he let go of me, Oin is quick to hug me just as tight. But his hug is not as long as the one I had with Bofur. Oin is quick to go back to Kili's side to support him and also help Fili with the weight.

I smile at Fili and Kili and Fili returns the smile.

He doesn't want to leave Kili's side, for he doesn't think that Oin can carry Kili all by himself.

Bard shows them inside and closes the door after he have looked around with suspicious eyes.

Oin and Fili places Kili on a table that Sigrid have made ready for him.

I had brought a wet towel and I place it on Kili's forehead.

He sigh in relief as the cold towel cool down his fever hot body.

I smile a sad smile as I lay my hand on his shoulder. His mind is hallucinating everything from when he was younger to what have happened up until now. His body is so warm from the fever that my hand almost burns by laying on his shoulder.

\- Come on, Ratcha. Let Sigrid and Tilda take care of him now.

Bain says as he places his hand on my shoulder and gently drags me away from Kili while Sigrid and Tilda takes care of him as much as they can.

We walk over to the fire place where Fili and the others is sitting.

Bain smiles when I sit down beside Fili, who immediately wraps his arms around me in a tight hug. Still with the smile on his face, Bain walks away to give me some space with my devastated brother. I hug Fili just as tight, and Fili bury his head into my neck. It doesn't take long before I feel my shoulder becomes wet from his tears.

I can't do much than rub his back and talk gently to him.

\- Shh, Fili. Everything will be alright with Kili. And he is not alone. You are here, I'm here. We're here for him. And don't forget that we have Oin here. He will help Sigrid and Tilda as much as he can. Kili is in safe hands.

I whisper to him.

I guess that I am saying that as much to myself as I am saying it to Fili.

Bofur and Oin looks at each other, then they walk over to me and Fili. Knowing what they are going to do, I gently move myself and Fili, so we are sitting on the ground instead on the chairs. Bofur and Oin wraps their arms around the two of us and we just sit there in a big hug with me and Fili in the middle.

* * *

After a while, Fili falls asleep out of exhaustion, his arms is still around me in the hug, but not as tight as before. And not as high up as they were.

Oin falls asleep not long after, leaving me and Bofur the only ones awake. Not counting Bard, the others of course.

\- What happened after that I left the feast yesterday Bofur?

I ask in a quiet voice, so I don't wake Fili up.

Bofur thinks for a moment before answering.

\- Thorin and the Master talked about what we would need for the journey. But that turned into an argument that ended with Thorin storming off. But he came back not long after.

\- That's new. Thorin usually don't run away and then comes back.

Bofur nods his head while he looks into the fire place.

\- Bilbo noticed that you had leave and wanted to go and look for you, but Dori held him back. I don't remember much after that. I guess that I drank too much again. I only remember that I woke up by the bells chimed. So, I ran as fast as I could, but I missed them. But why did you leave?

Bofur asks and look at me with questioned eyes. With a sigh, I look at Fili's sleeping form and gently wipes away some of his hair from his face.

\- I guess that all the noise and everything else in the room became too much for me. And also, that I could hear the Master's thoughts even when I didn't wanted to. I need to learn to close everyone except a few out from my mind.

Bofur's eyes gets an angry look and I quickly raise my hand, to calm him down.

\- Shh. Calm down Bofur. What the Master was thinking is something I didn't liked. But I left before he could do anything of what he was thinking. May so be that we are still living in his Town, he won't reach me here. And if he tries, I know that I'll have you by my side.

Bofur smiles, but the anger is not fully gone. That anger won't leave him for a long time.

 _"I guess that I should wait with telling him about what happened to me after I left the feast."_

\- Ratcha?

Bain calls quietly behind me.

I look at him with questioned eyes.

\- Can I speak to you? Alone?

I give Bofur a quick glance and nod at Bain with a smile.

After that I have moved Fili over, so he is sleeping on Bofur's shoulder, I follow Bain out to the balcony.

* * *

\- What's the matter?

I ask after that I have _"checked"_ that no one either from the house or around us can or is going to listen to the conversation.

\- What have happened to this Kili?

\- ( _Sigh_ ) He is my brother, and he have been shot with a Morgul arrow.

\- A what?!

\- Shh! Don't raise your voice. A Morgul arrow is an ancient arrow that can only be carried by the Orc's from the Gundabad race. The arrow is filled with poison that I don't have the knowledge about. I have no idea what you'll need to help Kili. I know a lot about all the weapons that exist in this world.

I quickly off when I see Bain's shocked expression.

Bain nods his head as he look out at the lake that is flowing through here.

\- Wait. So, this Kili is your brother? So, does that make you part Dwarf or what?

\- ( _Hah_ ) No, I'm a Mind-Changer. Nothing more. Kili's mother adopted me when my family was killed. If you wish to know, then I can show you.

\- How?

\- Do you trust me?

I ask as I reach out my hand to Bain.

He looks at it with mixed emotions, then he smiles and takes my hand.

\- Of course, I do.

Smiling, I say.

\- Then close your eyes and let down your wall.

Bain closes his eyes and soon after, I can feel his wall opens up for me to enter. I close my eyes and takes Bain through my childhood.

When I open my eyes again, Bain's remains closed for a bit longer. When he opens them, they are shimmering with tears.

I smile at him and take both his hands in mine.

\- How can it be so different? I lost my mother when Tilda was born. But I still have dad. You lost both your parents. Even if you got a new family, it's not the same as your real one. When you lost your family, I was living in happiness with my family.

\- ( _Hah_ ) Bain, when I lost my family, you weren't even born. Bard wasn't even born. When I lost my family, Bard's ancestor Girion was still alive. I'm older than you are. I'm even older than Bard.

\- Wait, what? How old are you?

\- I'm 115.

I say with a chuckle when Bain's eyes widens in shock.

\- How fast doesn't your kin age?

\- Fast.

Bain nod his head slowly as his mind tries to progress what I just said.

\- Bain? Come inside you two now. It's starting to get cold outside.

Bard says from the door behind us. Making Bain jump slightly.

\- Alright, Da.

Bain says absent.

Bard gives me a questioned look before he walks inside with me and Bain right behind him.


	16. Chapter 13

This is the end of this story. I hoped you liked to read it as much as I liked to write it =). Don't worry, Ratcha will be back with more stories to tell about her adventure throughout the third move as well.

I have written the translation for what Ratcha and the Orc's is saying at the end of the story.

* * *

\- Can you not do something?

Fili asks Oin desperately.

Kili has begun to grunt in his fever sleep. We can't touch him without him screaming in pain.

\- I need herbs, something to bring down his fever.

Oin says, not leaving Kili with his eyes.

Bard look at the medicine that he have. But none of them is what Oin needs. He wants some Kingsfoil.

\- No, it's a weed. We feed it to the pigs.

Bofur looks at me and I nod my head.

\- Weed, pigs. Right.

I don't have anything to do and just feel that I'm in the way for Oin and the others. And I can't stand to see Kili in this pain, and knowing that I can't do anything to make it disappear.

\- Don't move.

Bofur tells Kili before he and I runs out from the house.

\- ( _Hah_ ) And where did you think he would go if he could move?

I say while we run on the walkway, trying to find where they could have the stables for the pigs.

\- I say things that is not necessary to say when I'm worried over someone. At least I got you to smile.

Bofur says between heavy breaths. His fitness is not the best. But it works for a Dwarf.

I smile again and remains silent for the rest of our sprint.

* * *

It takes some time, but we finally find the stable.

\- Split up?

Bofur asks.

\- No, it's better if we stay together. If we split up, I maybe find it and then I have to find you.

I say and give Bofur a look that ends his protest about the whole thing.

\- Come on. The quicker we start to look after the thing, the quicker we can get it back to Oin.

Bofur nods and follow me as we search for the weed.

* * *

\- Where can they hide a damn pig? Have they made it invisible?

Bofur says angry after that he have find another goat. I guess he have found over 20 goats already.

Laughing, I shake my head when I find another empty box.

\- I have never heard about pigs being able to make themselves invisible. Can it be for that they can't make themselves invisible?

I say while I shake my head with a smile.

\- Don't lose hope, Bofur. We'll find it. We just need to look a little more.

Bofur grunts in annoyance but moves over to the next box.

I walk some further in to look there. But after that I have find three more goats, I sigh in anger.

\- Didn't you tell me not to lose hope? Sounds like you need to remind yourself that.

Bofur says with a chuckle while he places a hand on my shoulder.

I laugh at the sarcasm in his voice but doesn't say anything sarcastic back. Instead an idea starts to form in my mind.

\- I can try to use my powers. Maybe I'll find the pig faster then.

I give Bofur a side smile and he squeezes my shoulder before taking a step back.

I close my eyes and imagines what I want to find.

And soon enough I find it.

Still with closed eyes, I reach out my hand towards Bofur.

\- What are you doing?

He asks with a confused tone.

\- We'll get to the pig a lot quicker if you take my hand Bofur. Please, trust me on this one.

\- I have always trusted you, Ratcha.

Bofur says with a chuckle while he takes my hand.

\- Well, that's good. Hold tight.

\- What? Wow!

In a blink of an eye, I move myself and Bofur to the pig. When I open my eyes, the impressed and shocked glance I get from Bofur only widens my smile.

\- There's the pig. And the Kingsfoil.

I say as I point at the flower the pig is eating on.

\- Right.

Bofur says before running towards the pig and grabs the weed.

\- Can you transport us back to the house?

\- No. It's a long way and it would take too much of my energy. Sorry, Bofur. But you'll have to run.

I say as I step aside while bowing with a smile.

Bofur makes a disappointed face but starts to run the way we came from. And I'm quick to follow.

* * *

We run on the empty pathways through Lake-Town. Bofur runs first and I don't know how, but he seems to find way easier here then what I did.

 _"Please, Mala. Let us reach my brother in time. I fear that we won't. I beg you. Let him survive."_

I pray while I jump over one pathway to another.

Bofur have just reach a bridge when we stop for the whole ground begins to shake, and an unmistakable sound that neither of us wants to hear reaches our ears.

\- It comes from the Mountain.

I say to Bofur, who looks at me with eyes widen in terror.

He have also figured out that uncle and the others have awoken the Dragon, and he's not happy about it.

Just as Bofur turns around and starts to run again, a shadow above him makes me look up.

\- Bofur! Stop!

I scream just as the Orc jumps down in front of him.

\- Oh, no.

Bofur mumbles before he ducks from the axe that comes swinging towards him.

\- Bofur!

I scream as I run forwards, knife growing to sword in my hand.

I raise my now sword just in time for the axe to hit that one instead of Bofur's unprotected back.

\- Go! Now!

I shout while I kick Bofur's behind to get him away from the Orc and me.

He stumbles past the Orc while I move my sword away from the axe, making the Orc stumble forwards.

\- ÂdhnTa Nalt UrukDhomaj.

I growl under my breath while I walk towards the fallen Orc.

The insults was not taken well and the Orc snarls in anger as he jumps up. Axe held high.

But I'm faster than him, and when he turns around, my sword buries deep into his stomach.

\- Flo Pus. Lat Mabus Nar Ni.

I say with a wicked smile as I twist the sword deeper in the Orc's stomach.

The axe falls down from the Orc, who stares at me in shock. Then something weird happens. The Orc cracks up into a wide smile and with laughter and hatred in his voice, he says.

\- Latrim Botub Dig. Lat Mat.

The Orc hisses while blood drools down from his mouth.

\- Not by your hand.

I say when I drag out my sword from the Orc and push him backwards, down into the ice cold water.

Then I turn around and run in the direction that I now know is the right way home to Bard.

* * *

While I run, the words that the Orc said echoes in my mind and its meaning rings a bell from another time I heard it.

 _"Your world will burn. You will die. That's the exact same thing that I was told back in Rivendell. What is going to happen?"_

I don't manage to think more about it, for when I pass the corner of the last house before I reach Bard's, I stop and stares with wide eyes at the scene in front of me.

Bard's house is surrounded with Orcs! They are literally everywhere!

I can hear Sigrid and Tilda screaming in panic in there. But what makes it so hard for me to run towards the house to help them, is what my eyes catch on the balcony.

An Orc comes stumbling backwards and before he disappears into the black water, I see the arrow imbedded in its forehead.

 _"Elves."_

Just then, I see Bofur struggling with another Orc. And I can finally move again.

I sprint towards Bofur and push the Orc away from him.

The Orc manage to find its balance before he falls into the water and turns around to face its new opponents. But he freezes when he lock eyes with me.

\- Lat Nar Inras Gru?

I mock the Orc with a smirk.

The Orc look at my sword who is still dripping with blood from his companion.

 _"Why is he so confused over seeing me alive? Who have told him that the Mind-Changers are a dead race?"_

\- Lazy head.

I mutter before I leap forwards with the sword ready to strike.

But I never get the chance to kill the Orc. Before my sword reach his neck, an arrow buries itself deep in its chest.

As the Orc falls down into the water, I look back towards Bard's house to see Legolas standing on the balcony with another arrow placed on his bow, ready to shoot again if needed.

I raise my hand to show that we're alright, and also as a thank you.

Legolas smiles before he turns around to kill more Orc's inside the house.

\- Are you alright Bofur?

I ask while I turn around to help him up to his feet.

\- Yea. Thank you. But I drooped the flower.

Bofur says while he desperately looks around.

I sigh as I put my now knife back into its holder and helps Bofur with the search.

 _"Where is it? Where is it?"_

\- There!

I say as I point just a few steps away from where Bofur is standing.

He rushes over to pick it up and we both hurry towards the house.

When we run up the stairs, I grab Bofur when I see the Elf standing with her knifes drawn.

\- Easy Tauriel. We're only trying to save Kili.

I say as I motion towards the flower in Bofur's hand.

Elves knows a lot more about the herbs that is used in medical terms. And I can see on Tauriel that she knows exactly what she can do with the Kingsfoil.

\- Athelas.

She whispers as she takes the herbs from a stunned Bofur.

\- Athelas.

She says again. This time with a smile.

\- What are you doing?

Bofur asks, finally managing to get free from his stunned form.

\- She's going to save him.

I say with a smile as Tauriel walks inside the house.

* * *

Once inside, I notice that both Bard and Legolas is nowhere to be seen.

 _"Well, Legolas must have followed the Orcs. But where can Bard be?"_

Before I can ask, Tauriel puts everyone to work.

She asks Tilda if she can get a bucket of water, and while Tilda runs away to get the bucket, she ask, Fili, Oin, Bofur and Bain if they can move Kili from the bed he is lying on to the kitchen table.

\- Is there anything that I can do?

I ask when Tilda comes back with the bucket.

\- Hold him down.

Tauriel answers while she tear the herbs to pieces into the water.

I quickly walk over to the table where Kili is screaming in pain. Bofur, Oin, Fili and Bain struggles to keep him still.

I grab Kili's wounded leg and tells Sigrid to take the other one.

\- Tilda!

Sigrid shouts when Kili moves his leg too much for Sigrid to hold by herself.

When Tilda helps Sigrid with holding down the leg, Tauriel starts to chant in Elvish.

 _"May the blessing that was given to me be sent from me to him, may he be released from death."_

She says it over and over again as she kneads the Kingsfoil in her hands, then she places it on Kili's wound.

Kili screams even higher and twist all that he can in an attempt to get away from the pain.

Suddenly, my palms start to get warm and a calm feeling start to build up in the center of my chest. Without much thinking, I focus on that calm feeling and paints a picture of Kili lying calm on the table as he heals from the wound.

And lo and behold, Kili calms down under my hands and lays still as Tauriel continues to chant.

* * *

After a while, Tauriel stops her chanting and look at Kili's still form with a tired smile.

\- He will be alright.

She whispers to all of us.

Fili takes Kili's hand and squeezes it lightly with a smile of relief.

Bofur takes of his hat, who is dripping with water.

When Tauriel removed the arrow from the wound, Bofur passed out after seeing the blood. But he woke up after that Sigrid throw some water on him.

\- What was that?

\- Lake-Town medicine.

Sigrid had said with sarcasm.

I had laughed when I had seen Bofur's reaction.

I smile a little at the memory as I follow him, Oin and Fili to the kitchen.

\- I've heard tell of the wonders of the Elvish medicine. That was a privilege to witness.

Oin says with a smile.

I smile to, then I look at Tauriel who is placing a wet towel on Kili's forehead.

" _She's still unsure of her feelings towards Kili. She knows that if she chose him, she will be cast out from her home and hated for eternity. (Sigh) If only there was something, I could do to help them."_

\- Ratc?

I look at Fili with questioned eyes and a side smile.

\- Is Kili in love with her?

\- ( _Sigh_ ) What would you do if that was the truth?

I ask with a sad smile.

\- Well, uncle wouldn't be so happy over it. But I guess that I would protect him from uncles' anger if it would come to that point.

I look at Fili with surprised yet thankful eyes, then I look at Kili and Tauriel. With another sigh and with a smile of relief and happiness I say.

\- So, would I. And for your question. Yes, Kili does have feelings for the Elf. She is still unsure if what she feels towards him is real or not.

Fili nod his head and lays his arm around my shoulders and squeezes them lightly with a small smile.

I smile too and lay my head on his shoulder while I wrap my arms around his waist in our secret little hug.

When we part from our hug, the rumble like a thunderstorm shakes the house violently.

I look at Fili with wide eyes, and the two of us accompanied with Bain rush to the balcony.

\- Oh, no.

I whisper when I see what is coming towards the town from the Mountain.

* * *

\- Leave him alone, Orc worm.

\- Sleep well. You won't kill innocent lives more.

\- Your world will burn. You will die.

\- You don't wan't to attack a woman?


End file.
